Haugesund’s New Nordic Films Unveils Baltic Film Pitches, Focus Program

In a energetic effort to bring together the film industries and talent from the eight Nordic and Baltic states, The Norwegian International Film Festival’s industry event New Nordic Films in Haugesund has revealed the program of its Baltic Focus and six Baltic projects in development set to woo potential partners at the Nordic Co-Production Market Aug. 20.

Carefully picked by the Estonian Film Institute, the National Film Centre of Latvia and the Lithuanian Film Centre, the slate takes in rich picks from award-winning filmmakers or producers with clear artistic and commercial hooks for Nordic – and international – co-producers and financiers.

Estonia will showcase “Beatrice,” a sci-fi romance from Vallo Toomla –  whose debut “Pretenders,” penned by “Compartment No. 9”’s Andris Feldmanis and Livia Ulman, premiered at San Sebastian 2016 – and the multi-layered historical “Silverwhite” by Martti Helde, known for the Toronto-selected “In the Crosswind” and Karlovy Vary winner “Scandinavian Silence.”

From Latvia, “Legato” by Ilze Burkovska Jacobsen is produced by Matīss Kaža, behind the Oscar-winning animation sensation “Flow,” while “The Sorcerer’s Eye” is helmed by Aik Karapetian, known for his 2012 Karlovy Vary entry “People Out There”, the 2014 horror “The Man in the Orange Jacket” and dark comedy “Samuel’s Travels”, bought by HBO Central Europe.

Lithuania, whose emerging talent Vytautas Katkus just brought home a best director award from Karlovy Vary for “The Visitor,” will platform the drama “Flood” from newcomer Jorūnė Greičiūtė, toplining Valentin Novopolskij (“Oleg”, “Two Prosectors”), and the family time-traveller “I’m Going to Change the World” by Inesa Kurklietytė (“A Butterdly’s Heart”), produced by Živilė Gallego (Sundance winner “The Summer of Sangailė”).

Besides the aforementioned six Baltic pics to be pitched by their respective helmers and producers, the Baltic Focus, to be attended by a delegation of more than 30 professionals, will include a roundtable on Co-Production Opportunities on Aug. 21, where panellists will discuss the Baltic and Nordics’ respective filming attractiveness through case studies and practical insights.

“We are so excited about our Focus on the Baltic countries,” said New Nordic Films’ honcho Gyda Velvin Myklebust. “Our aim is to unite the Baltic and Nordic film industries and contribute to a mutual discovery of the amazing talents in both areas. We believe our focus will lead to increased awareness, co-productions and collaboration in the years to come.”

“The Baltic Focus is not just an ordinary program; it is a milestone, an affirmation that the creative exchange and artistic alliance between the Baltics and Nordics is evolving into something deeper, more strategic, and enduring,” added Edith Sepp, head of the Estonian Film Institute. 

Jana Mikulevič, head of promotion at the Lithuanian Film Centre pointed at “the natural closeness” – culturally, geographically – between the two Northern regions.

Dita Rietuma, head of Latvia’s National Film Centre, said she hopes the initiative will boost co-productions, that “somehow over the past 30 years have been relatively few. Still, some strong collaborations have emerged,” she added, citing “My Favourite War,” Locarno main competition world premiere “Solomamma” and several documentaries including “North South Man Woman,” the result of a successful partnership between Latvia’s VFS Films and Norwegian producer Morten Traavik. 

Following a drill-down on the six Baltic projects lined-up for the Nordic Co-Production Market:

“Beatrice,” (Estonia)

Directed by Vallo Toomla (“Pretenders”), produced by Stellar Film for Evelin Penttilä (“The Exalted,” “Maria’s Paradise”). “‘Beatrice’ combines a powerful emotional journey, a woman getting a second chance at life and love, with sci-fi elements and existential questions,” said Penttilä. “It tackles dilemmas that resonate with all of us, but places them in a near-future world where climate change has made European weather increasingly unstable. In this vision of tomorrow, the streets of Tallinn are filled with refugees from Italy, Spain, Greece, as well as the Middle East and North Africa.”

Due to start filming in the Spring 2026, the pic is co-produced by Italy’s Giovanni Pompili (Kino Produzioni), Lithuania’s Dagne Vildziunaite (Just a Moment) and Finland’s Aleksi Bardy (Oxymoron Imagination). Penttilä said she is looking for one final co-producer to complete the financing, in addition to sales and distribution partners.

“Silverwhite,” (“Hõbevalge,” Estonia)

Directed by Martti Helde (“In the Crosswind,” “Scandinavian Silence”), produced by Three Brothers’ Elina Litvinova (“Scandinavian Silence,” TV series “Estonia”)
In the pic, eras overlap seamlessly, capturing the primal fears, rituals, and unconditional bonds that remain unchanged through time. The film’s non-linear timeline and multiple-protagonist structure offer a rich tapestry of interwoven narratives, each exploring the universal theme of identity and resilience.

“Through this project, we seek to rediscover traces of the Kaali meteorite impact in our cultural memory and to offer a visual interpretation of the inner landscape of the people from this region,” said Helde.
Set to start filming in September, the project is being co-produced by Latvia’s Air Productions and Finland’s Inland Film Company.

“Flood,” (“Potvynis”, Lithuania)

Directed by Jorūnė Greičiūtė (“It’s Alright”), produced by Smart Casual’s Ruta Petronyte and Justinas Pocius, in co-production with seasoned Swedish producer Peter Krupenin of Hobab (“My Favourite Cake”). Toplining the cast are Valentin Novopolskij (“Oleg”) and Agnė Sirgėdaitė.

Kotryna and Paulius move to a small island to build their first home. But Kotryna’s joy fades as Paulius’ son from an earlier marriage is about to arrive and villagers act strangely, fleeing the island as if escaping something unseen.

“The topic of “Flood,’ an existential fear of the unknown, serves as an allegory for current environmental, political, and humanist crises, making it both relevant and ambitious. The film is a true Baltic-Scandinavian co-production, where Scandinavian culture and locations create a mystical world. It unites contemporary topics like the fear of commitment with the fundamental humanist belief in faith,” said Pocius and Petronyte.

“I’m Going to Change the World,” (“Aš Pakeisiu Pasaulį,” Lithuania)

Directed by Inesa Kurklietytė (“A Butterfly’s Heart”), produced by Fralita Films’ Živilė Gallego (“The Summer of Sangailė,” “Remember to Blink”). Cast members include Juozas Budraitis, Valentinas Novopolskis and Indrė Patkauskaitė.Life in the big city is tough. But while 11-year-old Luka yearns for change, she learns it comes not from grappling with your enemies, but by changing yourself.

Gallego, who collaborated earlier on Kurklietytė’s multi-awarded family pic “A Butterfly’s Heart,” hopes the film will spark debates about true friendship and empathy. Shooting is slated to start in the summer 2026. 

“Legato,” (Latvia)

Directed by first-timer Ilze Burkovska Jacobsen, whose credits include the Annecy-winning animated pic “My Favourite War.” Matīss Kaža, producer and co-writer of the Oscar-winning animated film “Flow” and Locarno-winner “Drowning Dry,” is producing for Trickster Pictures.

In this coming-of-age tale, Sophie, a Norwegian-raised Latvian teenager, sets off alone to Latvia to meet the father she never knew, a journey that forces her to confront buried family secrets and the tangled roots of her identity.

Kaža said: ”While it may at first glance seem to be a typical coming-of-age story, ‘Legato’ has a unique balance of tenderness and dark comedy, taking on cross-generational post-Soviet trauma. The project has an organic link to Norway due to its story setting, therefore we are very eager to find Norwegian partners. However, we are certainly not limited to that and would love to attract collaborators from other Nordic countries as well.” Filming is due to start in 2026.

“The Sorcerer’s Eye,” (“Burvja Acs,” Latvia)

Directed by Aik Karapetian (“People Out,” “The Man in the Orange Jacket”), produced by Inese Boka-Grube and Gints Grube for Mistrus Media, attached to the Locarno-bound Norwegian pic “Solomamma.”
In the family adventure, Twins Alba and Livia visit a mirror-themed art exhibit with their eccentric art historian grandfather. There, Alba discovers she can bring paintings to life and accidentally frees Janus, a chaos-bringing god trapped in a mirror of a painting. As Janus warps reality, their grandfather falls under his spell. The girls must journey through art and myth to save him, and the world.

“This project stands out by turning classical art into the space of fantasy and escape,” said Karapetian. “At the heart of the story is Alba, a girl who feels out of place in the real world and finds escape inside great paintings. Each artwork becomes a living space with its own mood and style, not redesigned, but shown as the artist created it,” said the helmer who will use a mix of live action, animation, and digital tools to let the viewer step inside real artworks.

Shooting is scheduled to commence in June 2026