Login
25.06.2014
Klara Grunning-Harris Stays at DFI Until 2015
The Danish Film Institute's Board has decided to extend the contract of documentary film consultant Klara Grunning-Harris until 2015. Klara Grunning-Harris came to DFI in September 2010 and will stay until 15 September 2015.
25.06.2014
New Head of Acquisitions and Formats at TV4
As of 1 July 2014, Cathrine Wienik will be the new Head of Acquisition and Formats at TV4 following the Swedish media group's decision to merge its formats and acquisitions departments to increase the flexibility between local productions, multi-platform content, international acquisitions and drama.
25.06.2014
New Artistic Director at Göteborg International Film Festival
Jonas Holmberg succeeds Marit Kapla as the new artistic director at Göteborg International Film Festival (GIFF). Holmberg has been the festival's international programme director and the deputy artistic director since 2012 and says in a statement that he will continue to strengthen GIFF's position. Marit Kapla will stay at GIFF and take on the responsibility for the festival's new digital film channel, launched last fall.
20.05.2014
New Head of DFI Talent Scheme
Mette Damgaard-Sørensen is appointed new artistic director of the Danish Film Institute's talent development scheme New Danish Screen.
The future head of New Danish Screen, Mette Damgaard-Sørensen, comes from a position as the principal of the European Film College in Ebeltoft, Denmark. She has served as a film commissioner at the Danish Film Institute and has worked as a screenwriter and script and development consultant on feature films and TV series. Early in her career, Damgaard-Sørensen served as editor in chief of the Danish film magazine Ekko and worked as a film critic. She is a graduate of Film and Media Studies at the University of Copenhagen.
Mette Damgaard-Sørensen takes over from Jakob Kirstein Høgel and will take on the new position on 15 August.
14.05.2014
Director of Searching for Sugar Man Found Dead
Malik Bendjelloul, the director of the Academy Award winning music doc Searching for Sugar Man has committed suicide at the age of 36 after struggling with depression. He was found dead 13 May in Stockholm, Sweden.
22.04.2014
Heidi Kim Andersen Leaves TV 2 DK for Metronome Productions
Commissioning Editor for factual programming at TV 2 Denmark Heidi Kim Andersen has left this position as of 10 April to become Head of Factual at Metronome Productions, one of the largest production companies in Denmark.
07.04.2014
DOK Leipzig Looking for New Festival Director
Claas Danielsen who has headed DOK Leipzig, the oldest documentary film festival in the world, since 2004 is moving on to look for new challenges after being in charge of 11 festival editions.
Therefore, DOK Leipzig is looking for a new Festival Director who is fluent in German and English and should take up the position on 1 January 2015.
Find more information on the job and application here (in German). The 57th edition of DOK Leipzig will take place 27 October to 2 November 2014.
27.03.2014
Wikke & Rasmussen Take Artistic Lead in Odense for 2014
Odense International Film Festival (OFF) has announced this year's head of programme - the duo Wikke & Rasmussen who will shape the programme of the festival, taking place 25-31 August.
This year's theme is about a fabled reality as seen through Wikke & Rasmussen's colourful glasses. This year the duo celebrates its 30th anniversary and Wikke & Rasmussen say about their role: "We like to turn things upside down. Films are not so different than reality, because reality is a fantastic thing that we see in all its colours. Why not? In the 30 years we have been in the film industry we have always dealt with the fable in reality. Like our process, our love for films knows no boundaries, and we look forward to presenting both brand new - and some old - amazing films!"
Odense Film Festival is accepting entries until 1 April, and the main prize is DKK 100,000 along with the possibility to be eligible for Oscar selection. OFF is Denmark's largest short film festival and it celebrates and pays tribute to short films of all sorts. Every year, a new head of programme is appointed to accompany the head of festival in making sure that the festival remains dynamic, and continues to present new and exciting short films of high quality.
Read more here (in Danish).
27.03.2014
Job Opening: Artistic Director for Danish Film Institute's New Danish Screen
The Danish Film Institute in partnership with Danish broadcasters DR and TV 2 are looking for an artistic director for the talent development scheme New Danish Screen. New Danish Screen supports professional talent development within film in order to ensure the continuous development and innovation of Danish film, tv and other forms of audiovisual storytelling.
The artistic director will be responsible for the development and maintenance of the vision and support focus of New Danish Screen and represent the scheme externally. Carrying out the tasks of the scheme will take place as a close collaboration between the artistic director, a commissioning editor, a producer and a project coordinator. The artistic director and the commissioning editor will handle applications for the scheme and prioritize the funds based on a general assessment of the project and the applicant's potential for development.
The artistic director must have considerable experience in development and production of film, tv or other audiovisual media and have thorough knowledge of both documentary and fiction. Applicants must be well acquainted with the Danish film and television industry.
Read more about the job here (in Danish). Deadline 3 April 2014.
27.03.2014
New Manager of Danish Transmedia Venture Shareplay
After 3 1/2 years as the manager of Shareplay, Kristian Bang Nørgaard is moving on to new challenges effective 31 March, as he has been offered a position as Director of Business Development at the games developer Funday Factory.
Shareplay is a transmedia venture launched by the Central Denmark Region and the North Denmark Region, located in Filmby Aarhus. The new manager will be Kristian Krämer who comes from a position as Senior Digital Business Strategist at The Alexandra Institute and who has also previously been involved with Shareplay.
30.01.2014
Dorte Høeg Brask stays on Until 2015
Dorte Høeg Brask, documentary film consultant at the Danish Film Institute with special focus on children and youth, will stay in her position for one more year. She came to DFI in February 2010 and will stay until 31 January 2015.
21.01.2014
Petri Rossi Head of Production and Development at the Finnish Film Foundation
Finnish producer Petri Rossi has been appointed Head of Development and Production at the Finnish Film Foundation. He took on the position on Monday 20 January for a fixed term of three years. The position has been slightly modified to better meet the current challenges in the film industry in particular with regards to film distribution.
Petri Rossi is an established producer and cinematographer involved in titles such as Silence (producer & cinematographer), Steam of Life (associate producer) and The Ambassador (co-producer). He served as Film Commissioner at The Finnish Film Foundation from 2000 to 2005. Rossi has also been one of the experts assessing projects for the Media programme.
He takes over from Petri Kemppinen, CEO of Nordisk Film & TV Fond since November 2013.
19.12.2013
Vinca Wiedemann Replaces Poul Nesgaard as Head of the Danish Film School
Vinca Wiedemann has been appointed as the new principal of the Danish Film School, replacing Poul Nesgaard who has held the position for 21 years and who also applied for the position. Poul Nesgaard, although sad to leave, is happy to pass on the torch to a candidate like Vinca.
Vinca Wiedemann graduated as an editor from the National Film School of Denmark in 1987 and has since worked as both producer and scriptwriter. From 1999-2003 she served as feature film commissioner at the Danish Film Institute (DFI), where she then became the artistic director of DFI's talent scheme New Danish Screen (2003-2007). She has worked as script consultant and creative producer, among others with Lars von Trier and Susanne Bier.
During the past months, critical voices in the Danish film industry has called for a change and a new vision for the film school. This task will be taken on by Wiedemann who will take on the position as of 1 March 2014.
19.12.2013
NFB Chair Tom Perlmutter Steps down
Tom Perlmutter, Chair of the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) and Government Film Commissioner, will step down effective 31 December 2013. Perlmutter wants to devote himself to thinking and writing about the long-term issues affecting the arts and public cultural organizations.
He states that "for some time now, I have been searching for a way to step back from the day-to-day responsibilities of the Film Commissioner and focus on long-term strategic issues. My deep engagement with the profound changes of the digital revolution made me acutely aware of how necessary it is to create a new framework of ideas for the ways in which we will need to think of, work in and finance cultural activities in the public sector".
Perlmutter joined the NFB in December 2001 as Director General of the English Program and became head of the organization in 2007. He will stay on at the NFB as a strategic advisor with a focus on the future of public space, the changing dynamics of creation and new financial opportunities anchored in the NFB's mandate and its commitment to innovation. Perlmutter also plans to write two books.
Current Assistant Commissioner Claude Joli-Cœur has been named interim Commissioner. The appointment of the next commissioner will begin in 2014 and should be completed during the year.
19.11.2013
Canadian Documentary Filmmaker Peter Wintonick Has Passed Away
Canadian filmmaker, journalist, festival programmer and mentor Peter Wintonick (born 1953) passed away Monday 18 November in Montréal. In his career spanning 35 years he was involved in more than 100 films and transmedia projects.
Earlier this fall Wintonick announced that he had been diagnosed with a rare form of liver cancer. He was working to make a final film, Be Here Now. EyeSteelFilm will be completing the film for Wintonick with the help of friends and collaborators.
Donations are being accepted to help defray medical costs from the past few weeks. To donate click here.
19.11.2013
Channel 4's Tabitha Jackson New Head of Documentary at Sundance Institute
Current arts commissioner for UK broadcaster Channel 4, Tabitha Jackson will be joining Sundance Institute by the end of this year as the new director of Sundance Institute's Documentary Film Program. Jackson will replace previous director of the documentary program Cara Mertes, who left the position in May to join The Ford Foundation, where she is now head of JustFilms.
19.11.2013
Mette Hoffmann Meyer to Receive Hot Docs' Doc Mogul Award 2014
Canadian film festival Hot Docs will present Mette Hoffmann Meyer, commissioning editor of documentaries for DR, Danish Broadcasting Corporation, with the 2014 Doc Mogul Award. The award recognizes an individual who has made an essential contribution to the creative vitality of the documentary industry.
Mette Hoffmann Meyer has supported films such as Taxi to The Dark Side (USA), The Gatekeepers (Israel), Please Vote for Me (China), The Queen of Versailles (USA, Denmark), Burma VJ: Reporting from a Closed Country (Denmark), Pussy Riot: A Punk Prayer (UK, Russia), and the 2010 Sundance award-winning The Red Chapel (Denmark). She is the initiator and executive producer of Why Democracy? (2008), as well as Why Poverty? (2012), a series of eight films shown worldwide in November 2012, involving more than 70 broadcasters and reaching more than 500 million people.
Hoffmann Meyer will be presented with the Doc Mogul Award at a luncheon in her honour to be held on Tuesday, April 29, during the 2014 edition of Hot Docs taking place 24 April to 4 May 2014 in Toronto.
05.11.2013
Joakim Strand Feature Film Consultant at Film i Skåne
On 1 February 2014, the current short and documentary consultant at Film i Skåne, Joakim Strand, will take over as Film i Skåne's feature film consultant, while still being responsible for documentaries.
Since 2001 Joakim has held various positions at Film i Skåne, most recently with responsibility for short and documentary films, and he is now taking over the responsibility for long fiction and TV series. Film i Skåne has been restructuring the production department since the spring, when Hanna Sohlberg took on the responsibility for short fiction and teamed up with BoostHbg in Helsingborg for a collaboration on talent development.
Joakim Strand is replacing Lena Hansson Varhegyi who is retiring. The transition will take place gradually in December and January.
29.10.2013
Sveinung Golimo Head of Production and Development at NFI
Nowegian producer Sveinung Golimo (Max Manus: Men of War and Troll Hunter) has been appointed Head of Development and Production at the Norwegian Film Institute and will join the institute's management team with CEO Sindre Guldvog who will shortly replace the current managing director Nina Refseth.
Since 2001, Golimo has been working with Oslo-based Filmkameratene, one of Norway's most established film production companies, where he runs the daily operations.
Golimo takes up the new job in the spring 2014 on a 6 year contract. He will succeed Ivar Køhn who joins the Norwegian broadcasting corporation NRK as Head of Drama.
29.10.2013
New Roles for Phillips & Currimbhoy at Sheffield Doc/Fest
UK festival Sheffield Doc/Fest has restructured its organisation, upping the positions of marketplace director Charlie Phillips and film programmer Hussain Currimbhoy. Phillips becomes the festival's deputy director and Currimbhoy is appointed director of programming. Both joined Doc/Fest in 2008.
In his new position as deputy director, Phillips will work with the festival's Crossover Labs initiative on interactive schemes including the flagship digital training programs Devise to Deliver, Hackathons and year-round cross-platform labs.
Chris Black will take on the role of marketplace manager, delivering Doc/Fest's MeetMarket networking event, under the guidance of Marketplace executive producer Karolina Lidin and Charlie Phillips.
02.09.2013
Petri Kemppinen New CEO Of Nordisk Film & TV Fond
Petri Kemppinen has been appointed as the new Chief Executive Officer of Nordisk Film & TV Fond, taking on the new position 1 November 2013. Kemppinen comes from a position as Head of Production at the Finnish Film Foundation. He has held Board duties at Nordisk Film & TV Fond since 2008, first as Vice President of the Board (2008-2010), then as substitute Board Member (2011-2013).
Kemppinen came to the Finnish Film Foundation in 2005 after nine years at the Finnish broadcasting company YLE holding a number of roles such as International Programme Acquisition Executive, Head of Youth Department and Commissioning Editor at YLE Teema.
Kemppinen replaces Hanne Palmquist who will take up her new job as Commissioning Editor for Drama at the Swedish broadcasting corporation SVT on 1 November.
29.08.2013
Ulla Simonen Artistic Director of DocPoint
1 August 2013, producer Ulla Simonen took on the position as Artistic Director of DocPoint, Helsinki Documentary Film Festival. Simonen has worked as a producer, mentor and instructor and has been one of the board members of DocPoint. She sits on the board of directors of Tampere Film Festival, is a member of European Film Academy and has played a remarkable role in the Finnish documentary world.
The next edition of DocPoint takes place in Helsinki and Tallinn 28 Jan-2 Feb 2014.
27.06.2013
Helle Hansen stays on Until 2015
Documentary film consultant at the Danish Film Institute, Helle Hansen, will stay in her position for two more years. She came to DFI in September 2011 and will stay until 31 August 2015.
25.06.2013
Gammeltoft CEO of Copenhagen Film Fund
The board of the newly established Copenhagen Film Fund headed by Jørgen Ramskov, CEO of Radio 24syv, has appointed a CEO for the new fund. The head of the fund will be Thomas Gammeltoft, founder and CEO of Danish production company Fine & Mellow and one of the most experienced producers in Denmark.
Thomas Gammeltoft has a long career as producer of drama, comedy and arthouse, including Henrik Ruben Genz' darkly funny "Terribly Happy" (2008, Crystal Globe winner at Karlovy Vary) and "Excuse Me" (2012), Jannik Johansen's action comedy "Stealing Rembrandt" (2003), and TV series "Album" and "Lulu & Leon". Gammeltoft is currently wrapping up the production on the US thriller "Good People" directed by Ruben Genz and starring James Franco, Kate Hudson and Omar Sy, before he takes on the position on 1 September.
Copenhagen Film Fund has a budget of EURO 4.7 million over three years to support 10-15 projects a year - major co-productions, TV series and ambitious documentaries. The fund does not provide art support. It is created as a trade fund, requiring a local spend of DKK 2,5 per DKK 1 granted, to benefit the overall economy of Copenhagen.
24.06.2013
New CEO Of Norwegian Film Institute: Sindre Guldvog
Sindre Guldvog has been appointed as the new CEO of the Norwegian Film Institute (NFI). Guldvog is a former CEO at Cappelen and Bonnier Norge Publishing who now runs his own media consultancy. He has also been on the board of the Norwegian Publishers' Association, SF Norge, SF Kino and Bonnier Multimedia.
Guldvog is appointed for a fixed term of six years at the NFI, replacing Nina Refseth who will step down at the end of 2013, when her six-year contract expires.
24.06.2013
Ivar Køhn New Head of Drama at NRK
Ivar Køhn, current Head of Production and Development at the Norwegian Film Institute (NFI) will leave his position on 1 October 2013 to join the Norwegian public broadcaster NRK as the new Head of Drama.
Køhn has worked at the NFI since 2006, the first two years as Film Commissioner for Feature Film and TV Drama and then as Head of Production and Development. Before joining the NFI, Køhn worked at both NRK Drama and SVT Drama. He is happy that the collaboration with the external film and TV industry will be an important part of his new job and looks forward to developing the relationships from a new perspective.
Køhn is replacing former Head of Drama Hans Rossiné who stepped down in February.
24.06.2013
Vibeke Bryld New Editor of DOX Magazine
Writer and filmmaker Vibeke Bryld is the new editor of DOX Magazine and the DOX Summer edition marks her first edition as editor with a new layout and look.
Vibeke Bryld has a background in Philosophy and Arts from University of Copenhagen and a MA in Screen Documentary from Goldsmith's College, London. Over the years she has directed a series of documentaries for Al Jazeera. Her latest documentary was nominated for the New Vision Award at CPH:DOX. She has worked as a writer for the UK based Film and Festivals Magazine, Shooting People publications and as a programmer for the national Danish cinematheque, Cinemateket.
She is taking over the position from previous editor Truls Lie.
14.05.2013
Hanne Palmquist Steps Down As CEO Of Nordisk Film & TV Fond
Hanne Palmquist will step down as Chief Executive Officer of Nordisk Film & TV Fond on November 1, 2013 when she will join the Swedish broadcasting corporation SVT as Commissioning Editor for Drama.
Palmquist has been CEO of Nordisk Film & TV Fond since January 2007. Before joining the Fund, she was Head of International Sales at TV 2 World, Denmark. Her previous positions include Producer at Danish production company Fine & Mellow, Nordic Acquisition Manager at Nordisk Film, Head of PR at Zentropa as well as International Sales at Trust Film Sales. She also worked at the Danish Film Institute and Filmkontakt Nord.
Nordisk Film & TV Fond is now looking for a new chief executive officer, starting 1 October 2013 or as soon as possible thereafter. Click here for more information.
14.05.2013
Paul Pauwels New EDN Director
Paul Pauwels has been appointed as the new Director of EDN. The appointment will be effective from 15 May, when Pauwels take over the strategic planning and future development of the organisation.
Paul Pauwels comes from a position as Managing Director for the Belgium production company Congoo bvba, and has a long track record of working with international documentary co-productions from both a commissioning and production point of view.
Paul Pauwels replaces the former EDN Director Hanne Skjødt, who left the position earlier this year. Pauwels will work from both the EDN office in Copenhagen and from the newly established EDN antenna office in Brussels.
16.04.2013
Kathrine Windfeld New Head of Programme in Odense
Odense International Film Festival (OFF) has announced this year's Head of Programme - film director Kathrine Windfeld (Hamilton: In the Interest of the Nation). She aims to put a focus on women both behind and in front of the camera at this year's festival.
Kathrine Windfeld will be taking the lead in the selection of the approximately 100 films that are to compete for the festival's prizes. With the task of putting together special programmes, seminars and events she will have ample opportunity to leave her artistic mark on the festival programme.
OFF is Denmark's largest short film festival and as a qualifying festival for the Academy Awards short film category it celebrates and pays tribute to short films of all sorts. Every year, a new head of programme is appointed to accompany the head of festival in making sure that the festival remains dynamic, and continues to present new and exciting short films of high quality.
11.04.2013
Annika Gustafson New Managing Director at BoostHbg
Annika Gustafson is the new Managing Director of BoostHbg, the regional initiative based in Helsingborg, Sweden, nurturing exceptional emerging talent within the moving media industry in the Skåne region. In March 2012 Annika was headhunted for the job as the first Nordic transmedia commissioner at BoostHbg and one year later she takes over as Managing Director.
Annika has a vast experience in film. She has spent several years in France and 15 years in Montreal before returning to Sweden, first as a producer for BUFF:ff and then as the first transmedia commissioner at BoostHbg.
Annika takes over the position from Anna J Ljungmark who is now Head of Project at SWIM, Scandinavian World of Innovative Media, a 3-year project focusing on growth and development within film and transmedia in the Øresund region.
22.03.2013
EDN Director Hanne Skjødt Resigns
EDN Director Hanne Skjødt has resigned from the position as Director of EDN. Hanne Skjødt has held the position as Director since January 2011. Until appointment of a new permanent EDN Director the EDN Executive Committee has appointed Head of Studies Mikael Opstrup as acting Director.
31.01.2013
Sari Vartiainen New Head of MEDIA Unit at EACEA
Finland's Sari Vartiainen has succeeded Constantin Daskalakis as the new head of the MEDIA unit at Brussels' Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA), with responsibility for the operational management of the EU's MEDIA Programme.
Born in Finland, Sari Vartiainen entered the European Commission in 1997. Based initially in Luxembourg, she moved to Brussels ten years ago to occupy various positions within the Commission before joining the EACEA upon its establishment in 2006. Starting in a coordination role as assistant to the Director, she was appointed as Head of the Human Resources, Communication and Administration Unit in 2009.
Sari Vartiainen will now lead the MEDIA Unit towards the new generation of programmes and 2014's new Creative Europe Programme. Daskalakis will take over the post vacated by Vartiainen.
To see the Names in the News 2012 Archive, click here.
To see the Names in the News 2011 Archive, click here.
Login