The film industry on the west coast of Sweden is booming, with a record amount of film shoots and premieres. In the space of a few weeks, ten feature films and TV dramas are being shot in Västra Götaland, with Hollywood actors and Swedish film stars in the leading roles.
– Never before have we co-produced this many film shoots at one time. The productions attract actors like Hermione Corfield from Star Wars – the Last Jedi, Stellan Skarsgård and Joel Kinnaman, as well as the Happy Valley director Neasa Hardiman. Västra Götaland hereby fortifies its position as the leading film region of Scandinavia, says Peter Possne, Production Manager at Film i Väst.
This autumn, 19 films co-produced by Film i Väst will premiere in Sweden; 17 feature films and full-length documentaries and two TV dramas. 14 out of 19 productions have been shot in Västra Götaland.
Film i Väst will co-produce a total of 18 films in 2018, creating job opportunities for production companies, film crews, actors and extras. At the moment, there is even a lack of film professionals in the region.
– The number of film shoots also have a positive effect on hotels, rental car companies, catering firms and other local businesses. The world of film is a golden example of the successful collaboration between public funding and private initiatives, says Peter Possne.
The following three criteria determines what productions Film i Väst takes on: the possibility of competing at large film festivals (mainly Cannes, Berlin, Venice and Toronto) as well as the ability to attract international audiences and support new talent. Shooting and post-production in Västra Götaland is also a crucial aspect taken into account.
– Out of the ongoing productions, we have big festival hopes for Hans Petter Moland’s film adaptation of the Norwegian bestseller Out Stealing Horses, with Stellan Skarsgård and Danica Curcic in the leading roles. In terms of crowd pleasers, the third season of Vår tid är nu is an obvious favourite. Ninja Thyberg is an award-winning director of short films, whose feature film debut Jessica is an interesting watch, says Film i Väst’s Peter Possne.
Picture: From the shooting of Sea Fever in Göteborg. Hermione Corfield and Ardalan Esmaili.
