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Filmkontakt Nord (FkN) has since its establishment in 1991 by the independent Nordic short & documentary film community been dedicated to the advancement and promotion of Nordic short films and documentaries internationally.
The organisation has four main objectives: information, marketing, networking and the acquisition and dissemination of knowledge and know-how. During FkN's 20 years of activity, it has established itself as a unique central source of information and expertise, catering to the needs of the Nordic independent short film and documentary community and meeting the demands of the international marketplace.
FkN's main function is to serve as a common Nordic platform for a stronger production and distribution network within the Nordic countries and a visible united exposure internationally, joining a strong cultural profile with a driven and future-oriented industrial perspective.
FkN's activities and projects in 2011 were made possible thanks to the following financial sources: Nordic Council of Ministers (DKK 1.400.000), the Nordic national film institutes and ministries (DKK 1.380.000), producers' fees (DKK 695.000), MEDIA Promotion (DKK 459.000) and Nordisk Film & TV Fond (DKK 95.000). EU's MEDIA Mundus program supported the initiative docXchange with DKK 520.000, which was also supported by an extra grant of DKK 145.000 from the Nordic Council of Ministers. With this, the total budget of Filmkontakt Nord in 2011 was DKK 4.694.000.
In May 2011 Katrine Kiilgaard became the new Managing Director of FkN, succeeding Karin Johansson-Mex. In addition, the staff of FkN 2012 consisted of Jing Haase (Nordisk Panorama Market Manager), Christina Jul Gregersen (Nordisk Forum Manager), Amila Cirkinagic (Nordisk Panorama Market Coordinator), Mathilde Rosendahl Philipsen (Nordisk Forum Coordinator) and Alma Ducheyne (Financial Controller).
FkN's Digital Platform
The FkN website www.filmkontakt.com features extensive digital services and is the only comprehensive information platform about the Nordic short and documentary film industry and serves as the First Stop for Nordic Shorts & Docs for international market players and Nordic filmmakers alike. The FkN website has an average of 60.000 unique visits per month and the number is increasing.
The FkN Online Film Catalogue contains information on Nordic shorts and docs produced since 1990. In 2011 251 new titles were added and at the turn of the year there were 4900 titles in the catalogue.
Since 2008 all new titles are launched for full length streaming all year around the clock at Nordisk Panorama Market Online (NPM Online). The streaming service, now containing more than 1100 titles, is available to more than 800 international buyers, festivals and distributors. New and old film titles alike are promoted regularly to relevant user groups through FkN's e-news service. In 2011, 170 decision-makers used the platform to pre-screen Nordic titles, which is more than a tenfold increase since the analogue days.
The FkN contact database contains regularly updated information on more than 8000 active film professionals and a Nordic directory is available online.
Nordisk Forum Online (NF Online) offers extensive services before and after the actual event. In 2011 NF Online went through a revamping making the platform an allround networking and information tool for Nordisk Forum participants.
The FkN news service informs about FkN's ongoing activities, new Nordic and international initiatives, dates and deadlines for relevant international events, names in the news and awards to Nordic films and filmmakers. The monthly e-newsletter reaches more than 7.200 professionals worldwide.
Nordic Network
FkN remains in close contact with the Nordic national industries and continuously visits the most important Nordic festivals and events for shorts and documentaries: DocPoint, Tampere Film Festival, Göteborg International Film Festival, Tempo Documentary Festival, BUFF, M:DOX, The Norwegian Short Film Festival, Odense International Film Festival and CPH:DOX. At the Nordic festivals, FkN regularly offers its Nomadic Office: On-the-Spot Project Consultancy.
International Market Platform
In 2011 FkN promoted the Nordic films internationally and gathered market knowledge at the following international festivals and markets: Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival and Market, Cinekid International, Doc Outlook, Hot Docs, Sheffield Doc/Fest, Sunny Side of the Doc, DOK Leipzig and Docs for Sale. In the role of facilitator and matchmaker, FkN organised Nordic delegations to Hot Docs and Sheffield Doc/Fest.
Consultancy & Conferences
FkN consults the Nordic industry seeking knowledge about the international market and vice versa per phone and e-mail on a daily basis. Furthermore, in 2011 the expertise of FkN was called upon in connection with jury work, project and film selection, moderation and panels, at Euro Connections, BUFF:ff, Visions du Réel, DOK Leipzig, CPH:DOX, Encounters International Film Festival and IDFA.
Nordisk Panorama Event
The City of Aarhus in Denmark hosted the 22nd edition of Nordisk Panorama Event comprising festival, market, and co-financing forum. The event is the main platform for shorts and documentaries in the Nordic region, offering an annual business venue and showcase, spanning all professional focus areas from development and financing to distribution and exhibition. Nordisk Panorama Event 2011 attracted 750 professionals from 27 countries and no less than 100 came from non-Nordic countries, an all time high.
Nordisk Panorama - 5 Cities Film Festival
Nordisk Panorama - 5 Cities Film Festival presented 183 films, 67 of which were competing in the three competitions Nordic Documentary Award, Nordic Short Film Award and New Nordic Voices Award. As of 2011, Nordisk Panorama is an Oscar nominating festival in the short fiction category. Besides the film screenings, four seminars focused on cross-media while others spotlighted archive material, cyber activism and new business models.
Nordisk Panorama Market
Nordisk Panorama Market offered a comprehensive overview of this year's production of short films and documentaries from the Nordic countries. All 251 titles were available to the 50 international market professionals, who made effective use of the digital screening facilities with more than 700 screenings. The new initiative NPM one-to-one gave the Nordic filmmakers a unique opportunity to meet the international market players in short pre-booked meetings at the market. In conjunction to the market, NP Outlook offered a series of presentations and seminars focusing on the latest tendencies and trends within international financing, sales and distribution.
Nordisk Forum
During the 18th Nordisk Forum for Co-financing of Documentaries, 24 projects were pitched to the 46 participating financiers and experts. 23 additional projects were presented in the new observer+ category, created to further heighten the quality of the pre-booked meetings. Nordisk Forum Online offered a sneak preview of all projects with short trailers as well as profiles of all attending professionals before the event for preparatory purposes. Nordisk Forum welcomed a total of 257 professionals from 17 countries and 349 meetings were booked between producers and decision-makers. For the second time in a row, the evaluation of the previous Nordisk Forum showed a result of more than a Euro 1.000.000 turnover.
docXchange
In 2011 Filmkontakt Nord in cooperation with Hot Docs carried out the international venture docXchange. The initiative was directed at North American and European producers of interactive documentaries and brought them together for a three-day workshop in Toronto in May followed by a financing forum during Nordisk Panorama in Aarhus in September. 20 projects were selected for the first part and 11 of these were later pitched at the second part, which at the same time served as a learning experience about the new emerging cross-media market for 85 observers.
Filmkontakt Nord 2012
The noblest goal for 2012 is to strengthen FkN's professional profile in accordance with the interests of the Nordic short and documentary film community and to further root the strong international position of the organisation.
Since the establishment of FkN and Nordisk Panorama more than 20 years ago, the production and distribution possibilities for Nordic short and documentary films have changed drastically. Therefore, the predominant focus for FkN in 2012 will be the continuation of the process of change initiated by management and board by the beginning of 2011 in order to clarify new strategies for both FkN and Nordisk Panorama to further strengthen their relevance and viability on the Nordic and international arena.
In the light of the increased pressure in terms of financing of shorts and documentaries experienced by the entire industry, the new strategies will be centered around how the organisation to an even higher degree can generate access to Nordic and international financiers as well as knowledge about new platforms and business models.
It is expected, that a revised strategy for the main activities of the organisation will be ready and approved in September 2012.
With Nordisk Panorama and the Nordic portal as focal points FkN thus continues its activities creating a vital and strong common platform for the Nordic short and documentary film.
For the detailed, unabridged version (Danish language), or earlier years' Activity Reports, please see below.
Activity Report 2011
Activity Report 2010
Activity Report 2009
Activity Report 2008
Activity Report 2007
Activity Report 2006
Activity Report 2005
Activity Report 2004
Activity Report 2003
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