Nordisk Panorama unveils its 2025 selection for Forum and Works in Progress

The 2025 edition of Nordisk Panorama Forum and Market (18-23 September) will present 54 projects from 140 entries. “The selection includes notable filmmakers who make their return to Nordisk Panorama as well as new talent emerging on the Nordic scene,’ write organisers.

Forum projects include the highly successful Norwegian team of director Benjamin Ree and producer Ingvil Giske, the creators behind the recently Emmy© nominated documentary The Remarkable Life of Ibelin. They are back with a new project called The Greatest Illusion which they will pitch at the Forum. It is described as “a touching exploration of memories, loss and trauma.”

Also returning are Swedish director Maria Frederiksson, producer Ina Holmqvist, whose The Gullspång Miraclenot only featured at the Nordisk Panorama Forum but also opened the festival in 2023. They are teaming up again with their new project The Palme Syndrome, which centres on the enduring impact of Prime Minister Olof Palme’s assassination on Swedish society – 40 years later.

New and emerging talent will be featured via the Wildcards initiative. Each of the five Wildcards has been selected by the respective national Film Institutes, which aim to support new documentary filmmakers.

The Forum Pitch and Observer+ present a total of 48 projects this year. 

Six projects from the Nordic Countries have been selected for Work-In-Progress presentations at this year’s Nordisk Panorama Market and showcasing strong collaborations across the Nordic region. The Work-in-Progress presentations follow up on former Nordisk Panorama Forum pitches and pitches at fora around the world. All projects presented are looking for a last push to be finalized, a sales agent/distributor or festival premiere.

“We are proud to present this year’s selection, which showcases a rich spectrum of filmmakers at various stages in their careers, as well as a diverse and thought-provoking range of topics,” says Lena Nitsch, Forum Manager. “The projects explore both pressing global issues and deeply personal narratives that offer intimate insights into relationships. Especially in today’s climate, fostering honest reflection and encouraging dialogue through such storytelling is not only valuable — it is essential.”

DELEGATION IN FOCUS
Every year, Nordisk Panorama Forum welcomes a specially invited delegation of producers from a guest territory to facilitate connections outside the Nordic countries. This year’s delegation comes from Czechia, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia.

Projects from the delegation have been selected to Nordisk Panorama Forum as well as to the Nordic Short Film Pitch. Furthermore the delegation of documentary producers will participate in the Producers Meet Producers event.

The Delegation has been arranged in cooperation with: The Institute of Documentary Film (Czechia), Hungarian Documentary Association (Hungary), Millenium Docs Against Gravity (Poland) and Association of Slovak Film Clubs (Slovakia). 

FORUM PITCH PROJECTS

• After the Storm (LT). Directed by Francesco Rufini; produced by Valdemar Lovčik (Ketvirta Versija).
• Always Far Away (CZ, SK). Directed by Roman Ďuriš; produced by Michal Sikora (Lonely Production); co-produced by Richard Šimeček (Svjetski Films).
• An Unlikely Hero (DK). Directed by Lars Henrik Ostenfeld; produced by Anne Krysiza Sørensen, Malene Flindt Pedersen & Signe Skov Thomsen (Hansen & Pedersen).
• Creaturama – Epic of the Animals (FI, EE). Directed and produced by Juha Suonpää (Swamphead); co-produced by Liis Nimik (Klara Films).
• Crossing the River (FI). Directed and produced by Virpi Suutari (Euphoria Film Oy).
• In Flux (NO, FR-MQ, PK, GH). Directed by Julie Lunde Lillesæter & Stéphanie Saxémard; produced by Natalya Sarch (Differ Media), Stéphanie Saxémard (Creativ Sün Films); co-produced by Haya Fatima Iqbal, Anita Afonu.
• Kimik (DK). Directed by Alexander Lind & Lisbeth Karline Poulsen; produced by Emil Johnsen (GotFat Productions).
• Life Through a Lens (SE). Directed and produced by Andreas Eidhagen (The Motor Moving Pictures AB); produced by Annika Gritti (The Motor Moving Pictures AB).
• LÝRIKK [Icelandic Wildcard] (IS). Directed by Ásta Júlía Guðjónsdóttir & Haukur M. Hrafnsson; produced by Hallur Örn Árnason (Noumena Films).
• My Rebel Heart (DK). Directed by Ida Kat Balslev; produced by Sidsel Lønvig Siersted (Siersted Film).
• Myllylä (FI, NO). Directed by Jussi Sandhu & Sean Ricks; produced by Pasi Hakkio (Wacky Tie Films); co-produced by Benedikte Bredesen (f(x) produksjoner AS).
• Rethink (SE). Directed by Johanna Ställberg & Sophie Robinson; produced by Margarete Jangård & Cecilie Bolvinkel (WG Film AB).
• Somewhere Over the Rainbow [Norwegian Wildcard] (NO). Directed and produced by Mary Nunpau Hasavari (Matches Films). 
• The Days I Will Forget [Swedish Wildcard] (SE). Directed by Morgane Dziurla-Petit; produced by Paul Blomgren (GötaFilm AB).
• The Greatest Illusion (NO). Directed by Benjamin Ree; produced by Ingvil Giske (Medieoperatørene AS).
• The Mystery Package (NO, SE). Directed and produced by Silje Evensmo Jacobsen (A5 Film); produced by Mari Bakke Riise (A5 Film); co-produced by Ina Holmqvist (Ballad Film AB) & Jørn Lier Horst.
• The Palme Syndrome (SE). Directed by Maria Fredriksson; produced by Ina Holmqvist (Ballad Film AB).
• The Runaway Brain [Finnish Wildcard] (FI). Directed by Sanna Liinamaa; produced by Jorma Kaulanen (Kajo Productions).
• This Too Shall Change (NO). Directed by Natalja G. B. Jacobsen; produced by Ola Hunnes (True stories production AS).
• Two Minutes of Hate (DK, SE). Directed by Rachel Boynton; produced by Per Damgaard Hansen (Paloma Productions); co-produced by Auto Images AB.
• Ukulellur (IS). Directed by Elísabet Thoroddsen; produced by Gréta Ólafsdóttir & Susan Muska (La Chana ehf).
• Untitled Timbuktu Documentary (SE). Directed by Simon Klose; produced by Martin Persson & Elin Kamlert (Anagram Sverige AB). 
• We Are Not Leaving [Danish Wildcard] (DK). Directed by Christina Ammundsen; produced by Sara Stockmann & Line Aas Sørensen (Sonntag Pictures ApS).
• Weeds [Ugress] (NO). Directed by Bår Tyrmi; directed and produced by Dag Mykland (Hacienda Film).

OBSERVER+ PROJECTS

• All I Ever Wanted (DK). Directed by Christina Martiny Moltke; produced by Esther Nissen & Maria Kristensen (Final Cut for Real ApS). 
• Bialiatsky – Unbroken (LT). Directed by Eimantas Belickas; produced by Teresa Rožanovska (Ketvirta Versija).
• Blood Moon (DK). Directed by Cille Hannibal; produced by Monica Hellström (Ström Pictures).
• Colonial Tour (DK). Directed by Adam Paaske; produced by Rikke Tambo Andersen (Tambo Film).
• Confidential Project (DK). Directed by Laurits Nansen & Nikolaj Viborg; produced by Sidsel Lønvig Siersted (8 Pictures).
• Confidential Project (SE. Directed and produced by Jessica Nettelbladt (Lejoni Production).
• Daydream of Darkness (SE). Directed byTomas Stark; produced by Gustav Ahlgren (Picky Pictures).
• Finding Kvens (FI, NO, SE). Directed by Einari Paakkanen; produced by Marianne Mäkelä (napafilms Oy); co-production by Viktor Enoksen (Snowreel AS) & Tony Österholm (Iris Film AB).
• Frozen Ocean (HU, NO, FR). Directed by Viktória Dénes; produced by Julianna Ugrin (Éclipse Film Ltd.); co-production by Karianne Berge (Indie Film AS), Valérie Montmartin (Little Big Story).
• Graceland (SE). Directed by Tova Mozard; produced by Mirjam Gelhorn (Mantaray Film AB).
• In My Head (SK, CZ). Directed by Veronika Kocourkova; produced by Monika Lošťáková & Simona Hrusovska (Super film); co-production by Pavla Kimesova (Helium Film).
• Jamila’s Children (FI). Directed by Arezo Ariapoor; produced by Iiris Härmä (Guerilla Films).
• King Annie (NO, FI). Directed by Benjamin García Langeland; produced by Thorvald Nilsen (Indie Film Bergen); co-produced by Sandra Enkvist (Polygraf).
• North of North (NO, USA). Directed and produced by Mark Romanov (Twin Creeks Productions LLC); produced by Margareth Olin (Speranza Film AS) & Andreas B. Heide (Barba AS).
• Rehearsal for Justice (NO, SE). Directed by Dalia Al-Kury; produced by Ola Hunnes & Nefise Özkal Lorentzen (Integral Film AB); co-produced by Paul Blomgren (GötaFilm AB).
• Sidekick (DK). Directed by Adam Klixbüll Eisenhardt & Frederik Uhrbrand; produced by Maria Robstad Nielsen (Emjay Productions ApS).
• The Edge of Endurance (FI). Directed by Kirsikka Paakkinen; produced by Outi Rousu (Pystymetsä Oy).
• The Game of Chaos (FI, EE, UK). Directed by Kinocompany Ltd.; co-produced by Traumfabrik, Initialize Films.
• The Iron Women (NO). Directed by Gry Winther; produced by Anders Graham (Graham Film AS).
• The Pink Ship (SE). Directed by Linn Björklund & Ylva Rafstedt Lindgren; produced by Stina Gardell (Mantaray Film AB).
• The Sound of Success (NO). Directed and produced by Stian Vetle Dale (PictuRama); produced by Heidi Strand (PictuRama).
• The Story of the Wild Rose (EE, SE, FR). Directed by Kristen Aigro; directed and produced by Liis Nimik (Klara Films); co-produced by Mónica Hernández Rejón (Pråmfilm AB) & Victor Ede (Cinephage).
• Till Death Do Us Part (SE). Directed and produced by Samir Arabzadeh (Sideways Studios AB); produced by Fredrik Svensson (Sideways Studios AB) & Elisabeth Marjanovic Cronvall (MDEMC).  
• Trapped in Ice (IS, SP, SE). Directed and produced by Lea Ævarsdóttir (NyArk Media ehf); Directed and co-produced by Alexia Muiños Ruiz (Marineda Films); co-produced by Madeleine Ekman (Way Creative Film AB).

WORK-IN-PROGRESS PROJECTS

• Architecture as Invention (DK, SE, DE). Directed by Michael Madsen; produced by Per Damgaard Hansen (Paloma Productions); co-produced by Auto Images, Ma.ja.de filmproduktions.
• HEX (NO). Directed by Maja Holand; produced by Mari Nilsen Neira (Herstory).
• Fruitcakes (FI). Directed by Vesa Kuosmanen; produced by Sandra Enkvist (Polygraf).
• I am an Olive Tree (SE, NO). Directed by Yasaman Sharifmanesh; produced by Erika Malmgren & Kristofer Henell (Cinenic Film); co-produced by Differ Media.
• In a Box (FI). Directed by Okku Nuutilainen, Liinu Grönlund; produced by Juha Löppönen (Mouka Filmi).
• ISLANDER (IS). Directed by Nikolai Galitzine; produced by Dögg Mósesdóttir (Northern Wave).