Sørfond puts Films from the South in the international spotlight

Heidi Sandberg and Lasse Skagen from Films from the South have been to film festivals around the world to promote SØRFOND. Interest among producers and directors is significant, especially when they learn that the grant does not require production spend in Norway.

- At Meetings on The Bridge Festival in Istanbul I met two female filmmakers who were working on the film Black Snow, about the relationship between Turks and Kurds in the Kurdish areas in Turkey. They told of how the Kurdish children are routinely taken from their parents and placed on so-called «boarding schools» to learn the Turkish language and culture. We hear of many powerful stories like this that should be told, but where the filmmakers often have problems with financing. So there is great interest for SØRFOND, from both newcomers and established directors, says Lasse Skagen. He believes that the fund’s aim to support freedom of speech is important for the filmmakers.

Taken seriously

- It is often very difficult to get funding for films in the countries we support, so the filmmakers are always looking for good grants. And the fact that SØRFOND does not require productions to invest any of their production spend in Norway makes the filmmakers feel that they are being taken seriously. This is what makes the fund unique, says Heidi Sandberg.

The response, according to Sandberg and Skagen, has been overwhelming. From the festivals they have visited, and from the producers and directors they have met. - Often festivals coordinate mass meetings with directors and producers for us. I was in Guanajuato, Mexico, where the festival organizers had set up 60 meetings. Those were some busy days, says Sandberg.

Need for a Norwegian co-producer

-The challenge is that the films need a Norwegian co-producer to be able to receive SØRFOND support. And very few of the producers we are in contact with have any Norwegian contacts. They ask us how they can find good producers from Norway. And that is precisely what Sørfond forum will help with. We hope the fund will contribute to more collaborations between Norway and the SØRFOND countries, says Sandberg.

Small amounts in Norway - big difference for the rest of the world

Some might say that SØRFOND, with its maximum amount of 1 000 000 NOK per project, grants fairly small amounts of money?

- We never hear that when we are out meeting filmmakers. It is top financing, and in other parts of the world, where costs are much lower, these resources come in very handy. Those we meet think it is well worth working on an application for the fund, which is reflected by the fact that we received 176 applications to the pitch forum this year, says Skagen. - The jury had a difficult task in choosing which of these 176 projects would get to pitch at the SØRFOND forum, so the 12 which have been selected for the forum really are the cream of the crop, says Sandberg, who manages the fund.

The possibility of an award-winning film

What has been the motivation for the Norwegian producers who have received grants from Sørfond?

-They don't do it for the money, but for the opportunity to co-produce excellent, award-winning films and to get a worldwide network. There are so many powerful, great stories out there in the world that Norwegian producers can take part in, says Sandberg.