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London-based sales agency Film Republic has boarded Finnish film “Eden” as it prepares for the European Film Market in Berlin. The company has released a teaser for the film.

“Eden,” the debut feature film by Ulla Heikkilä, is produced by Miia Haavisto from Tekele Productions. It will be released in Finland in the summer by Nordisk Film.

A coming-of-age film about a religious summer camp, Eden tells the story through the eyes of three youths who are torn between ideology, independence and falling in love.

Heikkilä said: “It’s been a wonderful experience to be making a coming-of-age film. For me, youth is condensed humanity: it’s almost like being an adult but not having had the time to get used to all the drama that life consists of. The bliss and the pain of growing up move me, maybe because I’m still feeling both all the time. I...

Two Fridas is Ishtar Yasin's second film Photo: Courtesy of Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival The first eight films in Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival Official Selection competition strand have been announced.

Seven of the films that will screen at the festival - which runs from November 16 to December 2 - are world premieres.

The announcement features four European films, three from the Americas and one from Egypt.

Among them are Ishtar Yasin's Two Fridas, starring Venice Best Actress Award winner Maria de Mereiros, and Bernard Émond's A Place To Live, which will have its international premiere in Tallinn.

The selection includes four films from Europe, with director Samanou Acheche Sahlstrøm’s Until We Fall representing Denmark, Robert Budina’s A Shelter Among the Clouds coming from Albania, Gábor Reisz’s Bad Poems from Hungary and Juha Lehtola’s The Human Part produced in Finland.

The full Official Selection slate...

The 22nd edition of the event runs from November 16 to December 2.

Estonia’s Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (11 Nov - 27 Nov 2018) has announced the first eight films for its official selection, the festival’s main competition strand.

Seven of the titles are having their world premieres in Tallinn, with one international premiere (Bernard Émond’s A Place To Live). They are competing for the Grand Prix among other festival prizes.

Europe is represented by four titles. Among them are Samanou Acheche Sahlstrøm’s Until We Fall from Denmark, about a couple returning to their Spanish coastal town to rebuild their...

Completed films will also screen at the New Nordic Films Market, including ‘X&Y’.

Haugesund’s New Nordic Films Market has confirmed the 24 completed films that will screen during the event, as well as the 16 works in progress projects that will be presented.

“We are proud to present a programme that reflects high quality, with a strong and exciting line up from new and emerging talents,” said Gyda Myklebust, programme director for New Nordic Films.

Completed films screening in the market include Anna Odell’s hotly anticipated X&Y; the second of three Utoya-related films this year, Carl Javer’s Reconstructing Utoya...

Other Nordic works-in-progress presentations include Anne Sewitsky’s Sonja Henie biopic and Anna Magnusson’s new Bergman documentary.

Source: TriArt

‘Untitled Anna Odell project’

Provocative Swedish artist and filmmaker Anna Odell (The Reunion) unveiled footage from her forthcoming as-yet-untitled feature as part of the works in progress presentations at Goteborg’s Nordic Film Market.

The idea for the project has been mostly under wraps, except that it was to star the director with Mikael Persbrandt. Frida Bargo and Matthias Nohrborg of Sweden’s B-Reel produce and New Europe has come on board to handle international sales. The feature is editing now could be ready for summer/autumn. TriArt will release in Sweden.

Read more: Gabriela Pichler’s ‘Amateurs’ wins Goteborg’s Dragon Award

“I worked with a mix of reality and fiction and what people believe about Mikael Persbrandt, who is Sweden’s most famous male actor, and what people think about me as an artist known for doing...

17 projects selected for festival showcase.

A strong crop of works in progress projects are set to be presented at Goteborg’s Nordic Film Market, which runs Feb 1-4.

Source: Maipo Film

Queen Of Ice

The selection includes new films from Benedikt Erlingsson (Of Horses and Men), Michael Noer (R), and Anne Sewitsky (Happy Happy).

Presentations of clips by the directors/producers will be made to the industry attendees in Goteborg.

Erlingsson will present his new film Woman At War, an “arthouse action film” about an Icelandic woman on an environmental mission. Noer will discuss his new Danish period drama A Better Life starring Jesper Christensen as an 1850s farmer. Sewitsky will unveil footage of her Sonja Henie biopic Queen Of Ice.

The 17 projects are:

Swoon, dir Mans Marlind and Björn Stein, prod Kristina Aberg (Swe) Bergman, dir Jane Magnusson, prods Mattias Nohrborg, Fredrik Heinig, Cecilia Nessen (Swe) Happy People, dir Samanou Acheche Sahlstrøm, prod Jakob Høgel (Den...

Norway’s submission to the Oscars to open 56th edition; Jihlava docfest winners revealed.

Bent Hamer’s latest feature film 1001 Grams will be the opening film tonight for Lübeck’s Nordic Film Days (Oct 29 – Nov 2), which has a programme of 172 films screening from the North and North-East of Europe.

Norway’s submission for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar was co-produced by Cologne-based Pandora Film Produktion and will be released theatrically in Germany by Pandora’s distribution arm, Pandora Film Verleih, on December 18.

Ahead of 1001 Grams’ German premiere in Lübeck, co-producer Claudia Steffen and her partners at Pandora issued a statement expressing their concern „that one of our most important allies, the Film- und Medienstiftung Nrw, has faced significant cut-backs from its two main shareholders.“

Earlier this month, public broadcaster Wdr had revealed its intention to reduce its voluntary annual contribution to Germany’s leading regional film fund by $ 3.82m (€ 3m), and the Land of North Rhine-Westphalia...

Third edition will include pitching of 17 projects and screening of 19 completed features.Scroll down for full lists

The Finnish Film Affair is to host its third edition during the Helsinki International Film Festival (Sept 23-25).

The showcase for new Finnish films will include 17 projects being pitched and the screening of 19 completed films. A Project Development Clinic has been added for first and second-time directors.

The 17 new projects will be pitched to 60 guests including sales agents, festival programmers, distributors and TV buyers, including Fortissimo Films, Wild Bunch, Memento Films International, Films Transit, Sundance Film Festival, Koch Media and Zdf/Arte.

The pitches include The Fencer by Klaus Härö, whose previous film Letters to Father Jacob sold worldwide; and Stupid Young Heart from Oscar-nominated Selma Vilhunen (Do I Have To Take Care Of Everything?).

Other titles include Tsamo by Markku Lehmuskallio, documentary Mother’s Wish by Joonas Berghäll (Steam Of Life), and Cross Your Heart by Petri Kotwica, whose...