Co-producing with the Nordics

The Danish Film Institute's (DFI) international department advises Danish producers on international feature film funding possibilities, and is the contact for international producers seeking information on the Danish feature film production landscape and financing possibilities.

The Danish Film Institute's (DFI) documentary department advises Danish producers on international documentary funding possibilities, and is the contact for international producers seeking information on the Danish documentary film production landscape and financing possibilities.

Minority Co-Production Funding – Feature Films
The purpose of funding co-productions is to strengthen partnerships and creative exchange between Danish and international producers. The Danish Film Institute highly values the opportunities afforded from co-productions – international financing, cultural and business exchange and distribution – and therefore encourages such partnerships.

Subsidy Application Requirements
The Danish Film Institute funds some 5-9 minor co-productions per year. The annual budget is approximately DKK 12 million.

• The application must be submitted by a Danish production company
• There must be Danish creative or technical participation in the production
• There must be a distribution deal for theatrical release, a broadcast deal on Danish television or other national distribution, e.g. digital, aimed at a Danish audience
• The financing in the major co-producing country has to be confirmed

Applications will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

• Creative strength
• Creative and financial collaboration between the Danish company and its co-producer, including previous projects and future plans
• The level of creative and technical collaboration, the participation of Danish talent and crew and the overall Danish spend
• Distribution potential in Denmark
  
• International festival potential

Applications are submitted to the International department and assessed by a selection committee.
Applications will be processed within five weeks from the submission deadline.

For more information, visit dfi.dk

Deadlines for application 2024
6 February at 12 noon
7 May at 12 noon
20 August at 12 noon
22 October at 12 noon

Minority Co-Production Funding – Documentaries
The Danish Film Institute can fund 5–7 minor documentary or short fiction co-productions per year with a total annual budget of EUR 335 750 (DKK 2.5 million).

Application Requirements

• The application must be submitted by a Danish production company
• There must be Danish creative or technical participation in the production
• A confirmed distribution deal for theatrical distribution in Denmark or national Danish broadcast or other national distribution e.g. digital aimed at a Danish audience
• The international majority producer must be able to present agreements that confirm national funding. The Danish co-production funding is given as top-up financing only

Selection Process
Applications must be addressed directly to one of the three film commissioners. Together with the producers from the Danish Film Institute and the Head of Documentaries, they will evaluate the application. The project evaluation is based on the following aspects: artistic qualities, the creative and financial collaboration between the Danish and international producer, including previous collaborations and future plans, the Danish share of the creative and technical collaboration, and the distribution potential.

Applications will be processed within a month from submission deadline. In case a project doesn’t gain co-production support, it is possible to reapply only if the Danish Film Institute assesses that the project has undergone substantial changes.

For more information, visit dfi.dk

Deadlines for application 2024
March 12 at 12.00 CET
August 13 at 12.00 CET
October 29 at 12.00 CET

The West Danish Film Fund, established in 2002, has its secretariat located in the city of Aarhus, the second largest city in Denmark. The Fund represents 10 municipalities in Western Denmark and invests around EUR 4 million a year in film and media productions. The Fund supports and invests in co-productions that have Danish artistic or technical participation with a connection to the region. Support is given to artistically interesting productions which strengthens the film industry in the region.

Financial support is provided in the form of subsidies and/or investment. You need a Danish co-producer in order to apply.

The Finnish Film Foundation (FFF/SES) supports and promotes the Finnish film industry. It was founded in 1969, and it receives its funds from the Ministry of Education and Culture for the promotion of film art. Finnish Film Foundation is the main financer of film production in Finland. In 2023, the Foundation handed out EUR 24 million in support for the production, distribution and exhibition of films.

Production support is given to an average of 60 films per year. Support is available for feature, animated, short and documentary films.

International co-productions
International co-productions are also eligible for production support from the Finnish Film Foundation when a Finnish co-producer is involved. The Foundation funds around 8 to 10 minority co-productions every year with a support budget of around EUR 1 million.

Eligibility for co-production support is determined with the following criteria:

• Involvement of a Finnish co-producer with Finnish distribution rights
• Creative and/or technical input from Finland
• Distribution of some kind in Finland
• Relevance of the project for Finnish audiences
• Possibilities for an ongoing co-operation between the parties

The support application is made by the Finnish co-producer. The amount of production support for minority co-productions has ranged from EUR 15,000 to EUR 300,000 in recent years, depending on the Finnish creative or technical input. There are no spend requirements for the support, nor is the support recoupable.

For more information and application timetables, see ses.fi/en

Finland offers a combination of incentives up to 40%
Business Finland offers a production incentive for feature films, television series, documentary films and animations produced at least partly in Finland. The national incentive is a 25% cash rebate for costs incurred from the production of an audiovisual work, including pre- and post-production, in Finland. The Finnish incentive is known for the supreme customer care. The call is continuous, and the average pay time is ten days.

The rebate is available for both Finnish and foreign production companies. No registration is required from the foreign company. Finnish service companies with local business ID will take care of the application process.

Eligible costs include the purchases of goods and services, and the rental of equipment and facilities as well as the salaries paid to employees who are liable to pay income tax in Finland. Other eligible costs may include travel expenses to, from and in Finland, the producer's fee and overheads.

The budget for 2024 is EUR 12 million.
For more information visit: businessfinland.fi/en/cash-rebate

Regional Film Commissions offer additional regional incentive up to 15%.

Film in Finland is a new marketing brand combining eg. audiovisual industry, services, funding, locations and Finnish companies at one customer service point.
Additional information: www.filminfinland.com

The Icelandic Film Centre (IFC) is a public institution that provides funding for Icelandic films, promotes them abroad and nurtures film culture in Iceland by supporting festivals, seminars, workshops and other networking opportunities for film professionals.

The Icelandic Film Fund is administered by the Icelandic Film Centre. The fund's role is to further Icelandic filmmaking by providing financial support to features, documentaries, shorts and fictional TV series.

Projects supported by the Icelandic Film Fund must have clearly defined connections with Icelandic culture unless special circumstances apply.

Production Support
The Icelandic Film Centre will distribute approximately EUR 6 million in available grants in 2024, which will be divided between narrative features and short films, documentaries, and TV fiction.
The Icelandic Film Fund usually grants production support to 3–4 narrative features each year, as well as approximately 8–10 documentaries, 3-4 short films, and 2–4 TV series.

Minority Co-Production Funding
Support is also available for international co-productions with an Icelandic minority producer. Applications can be submitted at any time during the year and take approximately 8–10 weeks to process.
Please note that only companies registered in Iceland can receive funding.

Evaluation Criteria
When evaluating applications, the following points are especially considered:

• the degree of creative participation from Iceland
• the degree of involvement by the Icelandic producer and the overall Icelandic spend
  
• a letter of commitment to distribute the film in Iceland
  
• creative strength
  

For more information, please visit icelandicfilmcentre.is

Reimbursements are offered for film and TV production costs incurred in Iceland. Producers can apply for reimbursements from the State Treasury of 25% of the costs incurred in the production of films and television programs in Iceland, or 35% for production projects that meet given conditions.

Projects must fulfil certain cultural and production criteria in order to receive a letter of intent for reimbursement. Once the production is completed, a final assessment of the project is made to confirm that it is still eligible for reimbursement.

Applications must be submitted to the Icelandic Film Centre before production begins in Iceland, and they can be submitted at any time of the year.

For more information, please visit filminiceland.com and icelandicfilmcentre.is

Last updated February 2024.

The Norwegian Film Institute (NFI) operates under the authority of the Norwegian Ministry of Culture. The Institute is the Norwegian government’s administrative body and its advisor on policy issues for films and video games. The NFI’s 2024 budget is NOK 1 billion, of which NOK 736 million is earmarked for audio-visual development, production and distribution. The Institute also offers personal grants, training and talent development for the film and video game industry.

The Norwegian Film Institute (NFI) funds minority co-production of feature films, documentaries, drama series, short films and video games. The NFI also operates the Norwegian Film Production Incentive and the Norwegian South Film Fund, Sørfond. In addition, regional film funds support co-productions for fiction and documentary feature films and drama series, and the regional film centres support co-production for documentaries and for shorter formats.

The NFI represents and promotes Norwegian feature films, shorts, documentaries, videogames and drama series at festivals and markets nationally and abroad. The NFI also provides statistics and facts about the Norwegian film and video games sector.

Norway is part of the European Convention on Cinematographic Co-Production and has a bilateral co-production Treaty with Canada. The NFI represents Norway in the Council of Europe’s fund for co-production of films, Eurimages and the European Audiovisual Observatory. The NFI is also a partner in the Nordic Film and TV Fund, New Dawn Film Fund and The European Solidarity Fund for Ukrainian Films (ESFUF).

The NFI participates in international cooperative efforts such as Scandinavian Films, European Film Promotion, The European Film Academy and Norwegian Arts Abroad. The NFI is also the contact point for the Creative Europe MEDIA programme in Norway.

For updated information on NFI funding schemes and other national and transnational funding possibilities in Norway, please visit www.nfi.no/eng

NFI's Co-Production Folder: CLICK HERE.

Fiction feature films
Funding is available for fiction feature film productions for cinema with a Norwegian minority co-producer. The annual budget for 2024 is NOK 12 million. It is possible to apply for up to 75 % of the Norwegian budget.
Co-productions with a Norwegian minority producer are eligible to apply for marketing support in Norway. The number of productions funded is 5-7 per year. All funding is non-recoupable.

How to apply
Applications for funding must be submitted by the Norwegian minority producer. The project must be acknowledged as a cultural product in the country of the delegate producer. An agreement from a distributor confirming the intention of a release in Norway is required. The volume of support will be determined based on Norwegian spending and the share of other Norwegian investment. To qualify for support applicants must obtain a minimum of 10 points in the co-production evaluation form found on www.nfi.no/eng.

Priority will be given to productions with national public support, strong artistic potential and/or recognized potential in the Norwegian market.

Deadlines 2024
February 27 at 12.00 CET
May 28 at 12.00 CET
October 17 at 12.00 CET

Documentaries
Funding is available for documentary productions for cinema or tv release with a Norwegian minority co-producer. Applications are evaluated by one of the documentary film consultants and there is no specific annual budget, the number of productions funded over the last years is 8-10 per year. It is possible to apply for up to 90% of the Norwegian budget. All funding is non-recoupable.

How to apply
Applications for funding must be submitted by the Norwegian minority producer. The project must be acknowledged as a cultural product in the country of the delegate producer. An agreement from a distributor confirming the intention of a release in Norway is not required. The volume of support will be determined based on Norwegian spending and the share of other Norwegian investment. Priority will be given to productions with strong artistic potential and/or a potential for the Norwegian producer to achieve experience or network that will be an advantage for later productions from the company.

Deadlines 2024
Applications have no specific deadlines and will be evaluated on a rolling basis.


Drama series
Funding is available for production of drama series with a Norwegian minority producer. Applications are evaluated by the NFI drama series consultant and there is no specific annual budget. It is possible to apply for up to 50% of the Norwegian budget. All funding is non-recoupable.

How to apply
Applications for funding must be submitted by the Norwegian minority producer. The project must be acknowledged as a cultural product in the country of the delegate producer. An agreement from a distributor confirming the intention of a release in Norway is required. The volume of support will be determined based on Norwegian spending and the share of other Norwegian investment.

Deadlines 2024
Applications for co-production follow the same deadlines as applications for production of drama series.
March 4 at 12.00 CET.
September 25 at 12.00 CET.

Short films
Funding is available for production of short films with a Norwegian minority producer. Applications are evaluated by the NFI fiction consultant and there is no specific annual budget, the number of productions funded over the last years is 1-4 per year. It is possible to apply for up to 100% of the Norwegian budget. All funding is non-recoupable.

How to apply
Applications for funding must be submitted by the Norwegian minority producer. The project must be acknowledged as a cultural product in the country of the delegate producer. A deal memo between the producers is required to apply. The volume of support will be determined based on Norwegian spending and the share of other Norwegian investment.

Deadline 2024
Applications have no specific deadlines and will be evaluated on a rolling basis.


Video games
Funding is available for development of video games with a Norwegian minority producer. There is no separate budget for this purpose. Applications will be evaluated by an expert panel appointed by NFI, with the same budget as specified for application with a Norwegian main producer. In the evaluation procedure, the project’s artistic quality and production quality will be considered, as well as the cooperation between the co-producers, Norwegian creative and technical contributions to the project, and the share of the game’s budget to be spent in Norway. It is possible to apply for up to 75% of the Norwegian budget.

How to apply
Applications for funding must be submitted by the Norwegian minority producer.

Deadlines 2024
January 9 at 12.00 CET.
April 10 at 12.00 CET.
September 10 at 12.00 CET.

The film production incentive grants up to 25% return on costs spent in Norway to international films and series produced entirely or partly in Norway.

The purpose of the incentive is to increase the number of international films and series produced in Norway to promote Norwegian culture, history and nature. The incentive is also designed to improve the experience and skills of the Norwegian and Sami film industry, stimulate growth, promote a sustainable Norwegian and Sami film industry, and support international cooperation.

To qualify for the scheme, the minimum production budget is:

NOK 25 million for feature films

NOK 10 million per episode for drama series

NOK 10 million for documentaries

• NOK 5 million per episode for documentary series

The minimum requirement for eligible costs spent in Norway is NOK 4 million. A minimum of 30% of the financing must come from international sources and an international distribution agreement must be documented. The production must achieve the minimum required score in the qualification test.

The funding from The Incentive Scheme cannot be combined with production or co-production grants from The Norwegian Film Institute but can be combined with development funding and marketing grants from The Norwegian Film Institute and funding from regional funds.

Read more: CLICK HERE.

Deadline 2024
November 26 at 12.00 CET.

Sørfond grants top financing for co-production of fiction and documentary films where the main producer is located in a DAC-country. The total annual budget is NOK 5 425 000, approximately. The fund has one annual application round, funding up to 10 productions per year.

The main goal of Sørfond is to strengthen the freedom of speech and human rights in DAC countries where these rights are limited for political, social, or economic reasons. To obtain this goal Sørfond seeks to strengthen film as a cultural expression, and to promote artistic freedom and cultural diversity granting production support to independent film producers from DAC countries. This includes support to productions and producers that will contribute to promoting women’s rights and gender equality. Sørfond also seeks to forge a close cooperation between Norwegian filmmakers and filmmakers in the DAC countries.

Sørfond is funded by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and is administered by The Norwegian Film Institute in cooperation with the Oslo Festival Agency.

How to apply

Applications for funding must be submitted by the Norwegian minority producer. The production must qualify according to the criteria listed in The Guidelines for film production grants from Sørfond 2023-2025.

The fund supports fiction films and documentaries of minimum 50 minutes length, produced for theatrical release or other audio-visual media platforms. The maximum support for a single production is NOK 1 million.

The film must be principally shot in a country on the DAC list, and at least 70 % of the grant must be spent in a country on the DAC list. 50% of the financing must already be confirmed upon submission of an application. There are no spend requirements in Norway. All funding is non-recoupable.

Deadline 2024
March 5 at 12.00 CET.

To read more: CLICK HERE.

The International Sámi Film Institute (ISFI) is dedicated to providing Sámi people with the skills and economic opportunities for developing, producing and distributing Sámi films in the Sámi language. In addition, the ISFI is a centre for promoting cooperation and encouraging productions with other indigenous filmmakers and organizations internationally.

The ISFI was founded in 2007 in Gouvdageaidnu/Kautokeino, Norway. The ISFI is intended to serve professional film workers across the Sámi area, both in Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia.

Read more on: isfi.no

Mediefondet Zefyr, based in Bergen, and has cooperation agreements with regional authorities in the South and Western Norway. The fund can invest in and support all kinds of audiovisual productions.
mfz.no

Filminvest is a regional fund that supports and invests in the development and production of feature films, drama series and games. The projects must be associated with the region in the mid- and south east part of Norway. Foreign producers must have a co-production agreement with a Norwegian producer to be eligible for support.
filminvest.no

Filmfond Nord was established in 2012 and is based in Bodø. It provides top-up financing for feature films and TV dramas that help develop the film industry of the region.
filmfondnord.no

Oslo Film Fund, established in 2021, is based in Oslo. The fund can invest in and support all kinds of audiovisual productions in the Oslo region and has a focus on diversity and sustainability.
oslofilm.no

Film Commission Norway aims at encouraging and aiding international film productions in Norway and acts as a link between the national and international film and television industry.

The national commission is collaborating with the regional film commissions:

Western Norway Film Commission
Bergen

Midgard Film Commission
Mid Norway Trondheim/Lillehammer

Oslo Film Commission
Eastern Norway/Oslo

Northern Norway Film Commission
Northern Norway

Eastern Norway Film Commission
Eastern Norway, Lillehammer

The Minor Co-Production Scheme
The aim of funding co-productions is to strengthen working relationships between Swedish production companies and foreign producers. It should also inspire and facilitate competence development, improve opportunities to secure international financing and help films to cross borders.

Who can apply?

• applications must be submitted by established Swedish production companies, active within the Swedish production environment
• the Swedish producer is responsible for the Swedish artistic, financial and technical elements of the co-production

Primary Evaluation Criteria

• artistic qualities
• long-term partnership between Swedish and foreign producer, artistic and financial
• the proportion of Swedish participation in the production: artistic, technical and financial
• distribution (theatrical or/and full coverage national television distribution/VOD)

The contribution of the Swedish Film Institute can be a maximum of 80% of the Swedish financing. The Swedish financing must be in proportion to the Swedish spend.

The application should include:

• a full screenplay (fiction)
• project presentation with trailer/sample scenes (documentary)
• details of the co-operation between the Swedish producer and the major producer (both previous and future projects)
• the director's vision
• the producer's vision
• specification of the Swedish artistic and technical involvement
• budget in SEK with a specific column to specify the Swedish spend
• financing plan in SEK, with a detailed specification of the Swedish contribution, including possible LOI/LOC
• distribution plan for Sweden, including minimum LOI or the like
• schedule
• links to the director's previous films
• a cast list

Deadlines for fiction in 2024
February 27
May 28
October 29

Evaluation Process
The application is processed by a council comprised of a Film Commissioner, a Production Controller and the Head of Production Funding or Film Funding. The Swedish Film Institute’s CEO makes the final decision on funding following the recommendation of the council.
International co-productions relating to documentary film and short film are dealt with by the relevant Film Commissioner. Applications for these projects may be submitted at any time throughout the year.

Read more on: sfi.se

Film i Skåne, based in Ystad, southern Sweden, is a regional film resource and production centre with the task of promoting all aspects of film. Film i Skåne has to meet regional as well as national requirements on the scope and quality of its work, as well as its geographical distribution throughout the county. Projects aimed at children and young people are a priority for regional as well as national funding. Film i Skåne acts as a co-producer in feature film projects. Its ambition is to make movies that can reach a large audience at cinemas and have the chance of winning awards at film festivals. Movies with a strong connection to Skåne are prioritized – the film’s producers, creative talents and companies or the setting of the film.

Filmpool Nord, based in Luleå, northern Sweden, is a regional production centre for film and television. In addition, Filmpool Nord is also a resource centre for film, which means that they work actively with programmes for children and young people in the region. International co-productions: Projects with an affiliated Swedish coproducer and production company may apply.

Film Stockholm is the regional film fund of Stockholm. The fund co-produces and invests in short films, documentaries, feature films and tv-drama. Production is required to take place (partly or mainly) in the region. In addition to the film fund, Film Stockholm offers the regional film industry training and talent development. It also has a film commission.

Film i Väst, based in Trollhättan, southwestern Sweden, seeks projects that can compete at the most prestigious film festivals and/or be seen by a large international audience. The fund accepts applications for feature film co-productions throughout the year. Film i Väst offers both shooting and post-production financing and have a 100% spending requirement in the region.

Three branches cover the country and they are organized through the film funds. The commissions provide localized support and assistance for international and Swedish film producers interested in shooting in the different regions of Sweden.

Southern Sweden Film Commission (Film i Skåne)

Film Stockholm

Film i Väst

Sweden has chosen to introduce a production discount for audiovisual works, a discount on production costs of 25 percent. This means that a company whose main activity is the production of audiovisual works can apply for aid for part of the cost of a production and then be reimbursed after the costs have been incurred. The support is permanent support from 2022 and includes a total of SEK 100 million per year.

Want to know more? CLICK HERE