At a press lunch in Cannes, Scandinavia’s biggest film fund Film i Väst presented several new films, and this year’s Cannes lineup. At the event, CEO Mikael Fellenius presented three new initiatives which will keep Film i Väst at the forefront of film funds. Peter Possne, Head of Productions, presented a selection of the 29 feature films and 14 TV drama currently in production and development at Film i Väst.
– At Film i Väst, we’re very proud co-producers of the opening films at both Cannes and Berlin this year. We’re delighted that so many of the world’s leading filmmakers are choosing Film i Väst as a partner, says Mikael Fellenius, CEO of Film i Väst.
Film i Väst Co-Productions in the Festival de Cannes 2019
Opening film, In competition: Jim Jarmusch’s THE DEAD DON’T DIE
In competition: Corneliu Porumboiu’s THE WHISTLERS
Semane de la Critique: Hlynur Pálmason’s A WHITE, WHITE DAY
Climate consultant
With a keen awareness of the global climate challenges, Film i Väst are retaining climate consultant Ronny Fritsche, to ensure that productions are sustainable and to further educate filmmakers, partners and the industry.
– We think it’s really important to do our part in fighting against climate change. By retaining a climate consultant, we’ll be able to offer hands-on advise to our production partners, and make sure we’re always using best practices, says Mikael Fellenius, CEO of Film i Väst.
Production rebates
While Sweden doesn’t currently offer production rebates, Film i Väst has launched a rebate program for international co-productions, on behalf of Region Västra Götaland. The first project is the TV show IRENE HUSS REBOOT, which starts shooting this summer.
Nostradamus
By stepping in as a main sponsor of the annual forecasting report Nostradamus, which is produced by the Göteborg Film Festival, Film i Väst will be able to offer partners invaluable insights into the future of film production and marketing.
UPCOMING FILMS
Ruben Östlund, TRIANGLE OF SADNESS
Following up the Oscar® nominated Palme d’Or winner The Square, Östlund is back with his trademark surrealist comedy, this time looking at what happens when hierarchies are turned upside down on a shipwrecked cruise ship.
Production company: Plattform Produktion
Tarik Saleh (untitled)
A thriller starring Fares Fares (The Nile Hilton Incident, Vikings) set in a religious university, a hidden world within a world that has never been visited by a camera, blurring the line between fiction and reality. In development with support from the Swedish Film Institute and the Creative Europe Media Programme. Production company: Atmo.
Sally Potter (untitled)
A masterful and touching chronicle of a wild day in the life of a man on the edge, held together by the unconditional love of his daughter starring Javier Bardem, Elle Fanning, Salma Hayek, Chris Rock and Laura Linney. The film was developed by BBC Films and the British Film Institute and is funded by HanWay Films, Bleecker Street, BBC Films, the British Film Institute, Film i Väst and Ingenious Media. Production company: Adventure Pictures
Patrick Hughes, THE HITMAN’S WIFE’S BODYGUARD
A follow-up to the hit 2017 comedy action-thriller The Hitman’s Bodyguard, starring Ryan Reynolds, Samuel L. Jackson, Salma Hayek and Morgan Freeman.
Production companies: Millennium and Campbell Grobman Films.
David Sandberg, KUNG FURY 2
The original Kung Fury was screened in Quinzaine des Réalisateurs in Cannes 2015, and got 10 million views on YouTube withing three days. The sequel stars Michael Fassbender, Arnold Schwarzenegger och Eiza Gonzalez.Production companies: Laser Unicorns, B-Reel Films and KatzSmith Productions.
Valdimar Jóhannsson, THE LAMB
Noomi Rapace returns to her first Scandinavian role after a string of English-language hits, as the lead in the supernatural Icelandic tale.
Linda Hambäck, THE APE STAR
An animated feature featuring Stellan Skarsgård, from a script adapted by screenwriter Janne Vierth (Gordon & Paddy, Rita and Crocodile) based on Frida Nilsson’s novel.
Production company: LEE Film
Ninja Thyberg, JESSICA
Ninja Thyberg’s debut feature Jessica tells the story of a young Swedish woman who travels to Los Angeles hoping to become a porn star. Starring performers from the adult industry, it’s a film about ambition, sacrifice and feminism. Ninja Thyberg’s short Pleasure won the Canal+ Award at the Semaine de la Critique in Cannes 2013, and she won the Student Visionary Award at Tribeca with Catwalk 2015. Production company: Plattform Produktion.
For more information, please contact Ulrika Grönérus, Communications Manager, (ulrika.gronerus@filmivast.se, +46-708-643736) or Petra Kauraisa (petra@kauraisa.com). Photos: Gus Kaage Film i Väst
About Film i Väst
Film i Väst co-productions have received twelve Palme d’Or nominations and two wins, including THE SQUARE (Ruben Östlund) and DANCER IN THE DARK (Lars von Trier). Last year the co-production BORDER (Ali Abbasi) won Un Certain Regard. Over the past decade, Film i Väst has presented over 100 films in Cannes, Berlin, Venice, Toronto and Sundance.
Since 2011, Film i Väst co-productions have received ten Oscar® nominations, including winner IN A BETTER WORLD (Susanne Bier), and nominees THE WIFE (Björn Runge, starring Glenn Close), A ROYAL AFFAIR (Nikolaj Arcel, starring Alicia Vikander) and ONLY GOD FORGIVES (Nicolas Winding Refn).
