The Nordic region's two major festival and market events have joined forces to increase their international profile.

The two festivals, in Gothenburg (Sweden) and Haugesund (Norway), have long been the favourite meeting places for the Nordic industry, but in recent years have also succeeded in attracting buyers and festival programmers from around the world.

"We are not trying to compete with Berlin or Cannes, but what we hope to do is make everyone aware that Gothenburg's Nordic Event and Haugesund's New Nordic Films are the most important markets for Nordic cinema," said Hakon Skogrand, programme director of Haugesund's Norwegian International Film Festival.

"Our close collaboration with the Nordic Film & TV Fund is essential in this, and they have committed to back our plans. We hope to be able to do a lot more marketing for our events, and will among other thing do so in Cannes. "There has never been any power-struggle between our festivals. We are good at different things."

The initiative also hopes for financial support from the Nordic Film Institutes, whose festival departments help promote Nordic cinema abroad.

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