The Norwegian Film Fund has pumped $1.6m (NOK11m) into nine local production companies to back their slates or to help develop their outfits.

In the latter category Stavanger-based Sydvest Film and Oslo-based Fenris Film AS both recieved interest free loans of $75,000 a year for thee years, while Trondheim-based Klapp Media AS got $45,000.

TV production companies were also eligible to apply this time. Funding recipients are also more geographically spread around the country this time.

Six production outfits were given slate funding meant to help them develop several projects at a time. Of the three companies based in the capital of Oslo, Rubicon TV AS and Stiftelsen Innsikt recieved fixed sums of $97,000 and $45,000 respectively, while Spillefilmkompaniet 4 ' will get $75,000 annually for three years.

Likewise Finnsnes-based outfit Videomaker AS also gets $75,000 annually and Nesodden-based company Speranza Film A/S $60,000 for the same three year period.

More than 20 production outfits applied for both kinds of funding from the Norwegian Film Fund.