Co-producing with the Nordic Countries

The Danish Film Institute's 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 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.
dfi.dk

Deadlines for application 2023
7 February at 12 noon
9 May at 12 noon
29 August at 12 noon
24 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 (2.5 million DKK).

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.

Deadlines for application 2023
2 March at 12 noon
10 August at 12 noon
2 November at 12 noon

The West Danish Film Fund (Est. 2002) secretariat is 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.
filmpuljen.dk

Finnish Film Foundation supports and promotes the Finnish film industry. Founded in 1969, the Foundation operates under the Ministry of Education and Culture. It is the main financer of film production in Finland. The Foundation receives its funding from lottery and pool funds. In 2021, 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 80 films per year. Support is available for feature films, animations, short films 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 traditionally ranged from EUR 50.000 to EUR 500.000 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 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 2023 is EUR 9.5 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 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 some connection to Iceland unless special circumstances apply.

Production Support
The Icelandic Film Centre will distribute approximately EUR 9 million in available grants in 2023, 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.

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 2023 budget is approx. EUR 80 million, of which approx. EUR 67 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 Incentive Scheme 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.

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 2023 is NOK 12 million (approx. EUR 1,2 million). It is possible to apply for up to 75 % of the Norwegian budget in a range from EUR 50.000 to 300.000.
Co-productions with a Norwegian minority producer are eligible to apply for marketing support in Norway. 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. If an application is made under the European Convention, it should be forwarded to the Norwegian Film Institute through the Competent Authority in the delegate producer’s home country. 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 2023
21 February
23 May
17 October


Documentaries
Funding is available for documentary productions for cinema or tv release with a Norwegian minority co-producer. The applications will be 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 2023
Applications for 2023 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 will be 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 2023
Applications for co-production follow the same deadlines as applications for production of drama series.

8 February
27 September

Short films
Funding is available for production of short films with a Norwegian minority producer. Short films have 250.000 NOK, (25.000 Euro) from the yearly short film budget designated for minority coproduction each year, and it is possible to apply for more than the designated amount. Applications will be evaluated by a fiction consultant. 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.

Deadlines 2023
Applications for 2023 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 2023
11 January
20 April
13 September

The scheme grants up to 25% return on costs spent in Norway to productions produced partly or entirely in Norway, intended for international distribution.

The objective of The Incentive Scheme is to increase the number of international films and series produced in Norway to promote Norwegian culture, history and nature and improve the experience and skills of the Norwegian film industry, stimulate growth, promote a sustainable Norwegian 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 5 million per episode for documentary series
• NOK 10 million for documentaries

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, outside of Norway, and an international distribution agreement must be documented. The production must also qualify under the scheme's 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 about the the incentive scheme.

SØRFOND gives grants for co-production between Norwegian minority producers and majority producers from countries where film production is limited for political or economic reasons. Applications are made by the Norwegian minority producer.

The main objective of SØRFOND is to strengthen film production in countries where film production is limited for political or economic reasons. SØRFOND exists to help reinforce film as a cultural expression, promote diversity and artistic integrity, and strengthen freedom of speech. SØRFOND also contributes to closer cooperation between the Norwegian and international film industries.

Grants from SØRFOND contribute to film productions with a director resident in, and main producer located in, a country represented on the Norwegian Government's list of countries eligible to receive aid (ODA) from Norway.
See the list of countries here.

The majority producer must represent a private production company that has prime responsibility for the financial and practical implementation of the project and owns the film rights. A Norwegian minority co-producer is required. The minority producer must represent a private and independent production company in Norway that is not publicly owned and is independent in relation to broadcaster ownership. Key persons connected to both the majority and the minority producer must have documented professional experience in their fields.

SØRFOND grants production support as top financing, i.e. a substantial part of the budget (50%) must already be confirmed upon submission of an application. The fund supports fiction films and documentaries produced for theatrical release or other audio-visual media platforms. The minimum duration time is 50 minutes. The maximum support for a single production is NOK 1.000.000, or approximately EUR 100.000. Of this, a 10% overhead is granted to the minority co-producer to cover administration expenses.
SØRFOND is funded by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Deadlines 2023
TBA

sorfond.no

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.
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 mid- and the 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

The national commission – 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.
norwegianfilm.com

The national commission is collaborating with the regional film commissions:
Western Norway Film Commission
Bergen
wnfc.no

Midgard Film Commission
Mid Norway Trondheim/Lillehammer
midgardfilm.com

Oslo Film Commission
Eastern Norway/Oslo
oslofilm.no

Northern Norway Film Commission
Northern Norway
northernnorwayfilm.no

Eastern Norway Film Commission
Eastern Norway, Lillehammer
easternnorwayfilmcommison.no

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 2023 (fiction)
20 February
22 May
23 October

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.
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.
filmiskane.se

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.
filmpoolnord.se

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.
filmstockholm.se

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.
filmivast.se

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
filmiskane.se

Film Stockholm
filmstockholm.se/stockholm-film-commission

Film i Väst
filmivast.se

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.