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FkN Activity Report 2007

English Executive Summary

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 16 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 2007 were made possible thanks to the following financial sources: Nordic Council of Ministers (DKK 1.500.000), the Nordic national film institutions and ministries (DKK 1.140.000), Producers' fees (DKK 520.000), MEDIA Promotion (DKK 315.000) and Nordic Film & TV Fund (DKK 200.000).

Since 2008 FkN is managed by Karin Johansson-Mex who replaced Karolina Lidin as the new director of the organisation together with the staffers, Katrine Kiilgaard (Information and Marketing), Heidi Elise Christensen (Web and Nordisk Forum), Jing Haase (Information and Film Coordination) and Laura Kiralfy (Nordisk Forum Coordination).

In 2007, FkN launched the new website, Nordic Portal for short films and documentaries, a digital marketing and distribution platform for the Nordic short film and documentary community. The Nordic Portal integrates a wide range of FkN's services by offering key-information on the Nordic short film and documentary sector, a.o. films, professionals and industry events, thus fortifying FkN's role as First Stop in the Nordic Countries.

Nordic Portal has more than 4000 active users, which is a quadruplication in comparison to earlier years, and the frequency of sessions reaches over 20.000 sessions per month. The expansion of the Nordic Portal to include the FkN Contact Database and video streaming has further increased the use of Nordic Portal.

During 2007, 294 new films were registered in the FkN Video Library and FkN Online Film Catalogue, which thus comprised a total of 3835 Nordic short films and documentaries produced since 1991. The Online Film Catalogue provides key-information on all titles and at the FkN Video Library preview copies of all films are available to visiting professionals. The FkN Video Library plays an important role not only in the promotion of new productions, but also in the long term marketing and reactivation of older titles which are of interest for thematic channels and distributors to the niche market.

FkN continued its marketing activities at MIPTV/MIPDOC, where a total of 13 documentaries and children's films were marketed through email advertising, a special edition catalogue and individual meetings with international TV-buyers, resulting in 238 screenings and requests for screening copies. In addition, 21 producers/filmmakers joined the Nordic Producers' Stand at Sunny Side of the Doc, hosted by FkN, who gave the producers individual consultancy before and during the event. The special marketing initiative for children's films launched in 2004 was continued in collaboration with the international children's film festival/market Cinekid (Amsterdam), resulting in more than a 100 screenings of Nordic children's films.

Special focus was given to animation and short film initiatives in 2007, resulting in the FkN Nordic Producers' Stand at MIFA animation market and the continuation of the successful initiative of Nordisk Short Film Circle, a one-day seminar for Nordic short film professionals during Nordisk Panorama (see below).

Oulu City hosted the 18th edition of Nordisk Panorama Event, the travelling triptych event, comprising Festival, Market and Co-financing Forum. Nordisk Panorama Event is the main platform for short films 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 2007 attracted close to 450 professionals from 22 countries.

Nordisk Panorama - 5 Cities Film Festival presented 162 films, 78 of which were competing in the three competition programmes for the Nordic Awards for Best Short Film, Best Documentary and the newly launched competition programme New Nordic Voices. The film screenings and the substantial seminar programme, highlighting Nordic Music Videos, and special programs with the spanish director Fernando Trueba, and the finnish director Mika Kaurismäki.

Nordisk Panorama Market offered a comprehensive overview of the year's production of short films and documentaries from the Nordic countries, all 295 published in the Nordisk Panorama Market Catalogue. 32 professionals - including TV-buyers, distributors and festival programmers - made effective use of the screening facilities with more than 700 screenings.

During the 13th Nordisk Forum for Co-financing of Documentaries, 21 Nordic and Baltic projects were pitched to the 29 participating financiers. This year the Forum was presented with new guidelines balancing originality with the financial potential of each project. Nordisk Forum Online was offering a sneak preview of all projects with short trailers before the event. This online component was made efficient use of by attending financiers and additional online services will be added in 2008. The special pitching category for newcomers, New Talent Pitch, was continued and again very well received. Nordisk Forum welcomed a total of 188 professionals from 13 countries. Based on the results of earlier years' Forums, there is reason to expect a turnover between financiers and producers of up to €850.000 with some 80% of the projects either finished or in production within the following year.

Focus areas for 2008 include the launch of FkN's Digital Market with over 300 available titles of streamed full- length, full-frame films for registered film festivals and TV-buyers. Finally, FkN joins the efforts of Planet Greencode to establish environmentally sustainable practices in the film industry, this year undertaking a comprehensive analysis of CO2 emissions, formulating a plan for short- & longterm reduction, and offsetting unavoidable emissions.

For the detailed, unabridged version (Danish language), or earlier years' Activity Reports, see below or contact Heidi Elise Christensen for printed versions.


Activity Report 2006

Activity Report 2005

Activity Report 2004

Activity Report 2003