SVT, NRK, DR, Yle, together with the Nordic countries’ film institutes, have issued a joint call for premium doc projects that will resonate across the region and beyond.
The initiative was announced at CPH:DOX, and is backed by the region’s pubcasters and the Danish Film Institute, Swedish Film Institute, Norwegian Film Institute, Icelandic Film Centre, and Finnish Film Foundation
Teréz Hollo-Klausen, the head of production at NFI, told the Nordisk Film & TV Fond, “Nordic documentaries are strongly positioned internationally, while the competition for audience attention is increasingly challenging. With this initiative, we aim to bring together broadcasters and film institutes earlier in the development phase to elevate stories with broad Nordic relevance. We want to contribute to documentaries that are not only watched, but also set the agenda and spark conversations across national borders.”
The call is seeking projects with “accessible storytelling, compelling characters, and narrative arcs that capture attention through investigations, revelations, mysteries, or justice-seeking angles. The focus is on projects with high production value and unique access to people or environments, specifically designed for broad audiences. Pan-Nordic collaboration, involving talent or perspectives from multiple Nordic countries, is highly encouraged.”
Submissions are due June 1, with each country nominating a maximum of three projects for further consideration. Selected projects will be invited to pitch in Malmö in September, held just before the Nordisk Panorama Forum.
