The Danish feature drama The Quiet Migration will world premiere at the Panorama and the Norwegian 3D animated Just Super will screen in the Generation Kplus.
Both films handled internationally by TrustNordisk, received backing from Nordisk Film & TV Fond.
The first 14 titles part of the Berlinale ’s ’Panorama’ dedicated to sexy, edgy, daring filmmaking and 18 Generation’ films (nine shorts, nine feature length) for children and youth, were unveiled December 15.
According to section head Michael Stütz, his 2023 programme reflects a global trend for transnational filmmaking, of which The Quiet Migration is a prime example.
Taking inspiration from her own experience of growing up in Denmark as a South Korean adoptee, Choi continues to explore in her first fiction film, the theme of international adoption, which she successfully brought to the screens in 2018 with her hybrid The Return, winner of a Bright Future Award-Special Mention at the Rotterdam Film Festival.
Co-written again with Sissel Dalsgaard Thomsen, The Quiet Migration centres on Carl, 19, who lives a quiet life in the Danish countryside with his adoptive parents. The latter expect him to take over the family farm, but Carl starts to question what ’home’ really is - the farm or his native homeland, South Korea.
In the titular role as Carl is Cornelius Won Riedel-Clausen, in his first major role. Co-stars include seasoned actors Bodil Jørgensen (The Kingdom, Nothing’s All Bad) and Bjarne Henriksen (Cry Wolf, The Killing).
The film was produced by Maria Møller Kjeldgaard for Manna Film, with co-financing from DR, support from Danish Film Institute, Nordisk Film & TV Fond, and The West Danish Film Fund. Øst for Paradis will release it in Denmark in the spring 2023, with Mer Film handling the Norwegian release.
Just Super is directed by Norway’s star animator Rasmus A. Sivertsen (Louis & Luca, Mission to the Moon, In the Forest of Huckybucky), based on a script by Kamilla Krogsveen (Three Wishes for Cinderella).
The story about believing in yourself and superheroes has attracted over 110,000 people in Norway since its national launch via Nordisk Film Distribution, September 30, 2022.
Qvisten Animation’s producer Åshild Ramborg said: 'It is such an honour to be invited to one of the largest public film festivals in the world. We couldn’t have asked for a better way to premiere the film internationally! Generation Kplus takes young audiences seriously in a truly unique way, which mirrors our continuous ambition at Qvisten Animation.”
Foreign territories that have snapped rights from TrustNordisk include France (KMBO) and Poland (Vivarto).
Festival/market new venues
After the 2022-21 editions that unspooled to reduced capacity due to the pandemic, the 73rd Berlin International Film Festival will reshape its screening venues.
While the star-pulling main competition and Special Gala sections with red carpet screenings will stay at the Berlinale Palast, repeat screenings of the main Competition and selected titles from the Special Gala will also screen at a new venue, the Verti Music Hall in the Friedrichshain district, while the Urania cinema will host the Generation section.
Other changes will be introduced to the festival’s adjoining European Film Market, expecting more than 11,500 industry delegates from February 16-22.
For the first time, all industry activities will be held close around Potsdamer Platz. The EFM Industry Sessions will take place in the new venue Documentation Centre for Displacement, Expulsion, Reconciliation next to the main exhibition hall Gropius Bau, which will also host a new EFM meeting place, Café Connect.
All market screenings will be centralised in the same area, including at the CinemaxX and the “Berlinale Series Market” will also be moving from the Zoo Palast to Potsdamer Platz.
The EFM Industry Sessions will be held this year under the heading “Shift happens”, referring to the upheaval in the industry.
The countries in focus this year’s EFM are the Baltic states.
Meanwhile the European Film Promotion’s talent window SHOOTING STARS unfolding during Berlin will platform 10 European actors including Finland’s Alina Tomnikov (The Worst Idea Ever), Iceland’s Thorvaldur Kristjansson (A Letter from Helga, Black’s Game), Norway’s Kristine Kujath Thorp (Sick of Myself, Ninjababy), and Sweden’s Gizem Erdogan (Caliphate, Love & Anarchy).
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