Nordic Flair

NORDIC FLAIR RETURNS WITH A NEW GROUP OF NORDIC PRODUCERS

Nordic Flair, FFA’s career development initiative for emerging Nordic producers, returns in 2026 with ten participants from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. Over three intensive days in Helsinki, they will take part in the FFA programme and exclusive sessions with experienced professionals from across the international film industry.

Max Malka, Creative Director & Executive Producer at Banijay Finland, leads a session on creative collaboration, exploring how producers, directors and writers can build strong partnerships and develop a shared creative vision. Jim Kolmar, Senior Programmer at SXSW, offers an international programmer’s perspective on festival strategy, including how to plan a film’s festival journey and identify the right opportunities. Hugo Rosak, Head of Industry at Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, focuses on market readiness, looking at how producers can prepare projects for international industry platforms and markets. Natascha Degnova, Head of PR & Marketing at LevelK, offers insight into the role of the sales agent and explores how packaging, positioning, markets and festivals can be used strategically to build momentum for films in the international marketplace.

Following the showcase day on Thursday, Gary Cranner, Producer and Owner of Norway’s Mantra Film, will lead a debrief with the participants. The session will unpack the pitches presented during the showcase and explore what the participants can learn from them as they prepare to pitch their own projects internationally. With extensive experience in the film industry, Cranner will help the participants reflect on how projects can be shaped, presented and communicated effectively to an industry audience.

The training programme is facilitated by FFA Industry Consultant Inka Hietala, Founder and Producer of Into Films, with assistance from Training Programme Coordinator Bella Meer. The programme is supported by AVEK, Nordisk Film & TV Fond, and the Amos Anderson Fund.

INDUSTRY EXPERTS

MAX MALKA
Creative Director & Executive Producer
(Banijay Finland)

JIM KOLMAR
Senior Programmer
(SXSW)

HUGO ROSAK
Head of Industry
(Karlovy Vary International Film Festival)

NATASCHA DEGNOVA
Acquisitions and Head of PR & Marketing
(LevelK)

GARY CRANNER
Producer & Owner
(Mantra Film)

PARTICIPANTS

STIAN SKJELSTAD (Norway)
JON VATNE (Norway)
LOVISA CHARLIER GINDAY (Sweden)
LOVA LILIERMARK (Sweden)
NAWA AL-ANI (Denmark)
ANE VENNIZE ANDERSEN (Denmark)
HANNES THOR (Iceland)
INGIMAR GUÐBJARTSSON (Iceland)
PAULIINA MAUS (Finland)
ANTRIS BONSDORFF (Finland)