Sweden’s Gotland Island bids to become film production centre
The Swedish island of Gotland – the home of the late Ingmar Bergman – has renewed its efforts to become a centre for film production in the city of Fårösund.
In collaboration with the Gotland Film Fund, Stockholm-based production outfit Independent Group is setting up a company in the city, which will be responsible for running the Kustateljén, one of Sweden’s largest studios, from January 1 next year.
The Gotland, which is the Baltic sea, has hosted more than 100 feature films, including features by Bergman, Victor Sjöström, Olle Hellbom and Andrei Tarkovsky.
Speaking to the Swedish Film Insitute’s Filmnyheterna, Independent Group’s Jacob Jørgensen said: “In Stockholm our main business is commercials. In Fårösund we will focus on features and television drama.”
Initially the Group will offer production services, including set design, on Gotland, it has previously provided backdrop for LasseMaja’s Detective Agency (LasseMajas Detektivbyrå).
Its first major project will be Bengt Fröderberg’s set for Swedish director Johan Brisinger’s $3.1m (€2.4m) Among Us (Änglavakt), a Mikael Flodell-Peter Possne production for Sonet Film. Izabella Scorupco and Michael Nyqvist star.
During the last six years, the Gotland Film Fund, which makes commercial investments in film production, has participated in 18 features and a television series produced on the island.
The fund will enter a project if 20% of the budget is spent on Gotland, and 30% of the staff are resident. Independent Group chief executive Bo Rehnberg estimates it will have chipped in $13.6m (€10m) for various productions by 2010.
“The new Filmpool Stockholm-Mälardalen centre is collaborating with Gotland, so we could get support from both centres for a new film,” added Independent’s Jørgensen.
Share
Have your say
You must sign in to make a comment.