'The Greatest Illusion'

Source: Goran Bohlin/VG/NTB

‘The Greatest Illusion’

The Greatest Illusion, the new feature from The Remarkable Life of Ibelin director Benjamin Ree, is among 21 feature projects selected for the Nordic Co-Production and Finance Market.

The Market is part of New Nordic Films (August 19-22), the industry strand of Haugesund’s Norwegian International Film Festival (August 16-22).

Scroll down for the New Nordic Films selection

Documentary The Greatest Illusion will explore the life of acclaimed illusionist Alexx Alexxander and his siblings, through archival footage and family videos. Produced by Ingvil Giske for Medieoperatorene with backers including the Norwegian Film Institute, the Norwegian-language title is aiming for a premiere in the first half of 2027.

Ree’s 2024 documentary The Remarkable Life of Ibelin won best film at Norway’s Amanda awards and the European Film Awards’ Young Audience prize; it was released worldwide by Netflix.

The Market selection also includes On a Scale of One to Ten, the new coming-of-age feature from Icelandic filmmaker Ninna Palmadottir, produced by Alice Lusher for the UK’s Lushin Films. Palmadottir’s feature debut Solitutde debuted at Toronto in 2023, going on to Chicago, Tallinn, Les Arcs and Goteborg film festivals.

The 21 Market titles include six projects as part of a Baltic Focus programme of activities, with panels, case studies on co-production between the Baltics and the Nordics, and networking events.

The six titles include Vallo Toomla’s new film Beatrice, as a woman who, after dying in a car accident, returns to her husband and baby via her consciousness in a surrogate.

The Baltic Focus is presented in partnership with the national film centres of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

Fifteen projects have been selected for the Works In Progress strand, including Pal Oie’s monster movie Kraken, which TrustNordisk is selling. Currently in post-production, the Norwegian film has deals in place for North and Latin America, and is scheduled for local release on October 24 this year.

Market screenings of completed films at New Nordic Films will include Tarik Saleh’s Cannes Competition title Eagles of the Republic, and Hlynur Palmason’s Cannes Premiere selection The Love That Remains.

New Nordic Films 2025

Nordic Co-Production and Finance Market

* - Baltic Focus title

Quiet Lake (Fin) dir. Tonislav Hristov

Abyss (Fin) dir. Aino Suni

Beatrice (Est) dir. Vallo Toomla*

Blood – the devil in Helsinki (Fin) dir. Viivi Huuska

Dark Ocean (Ice) dir. Baldvin Z

Flood (Lith) dir. Jorune Greiciute*

God is Tango (Fin) dir. Annika Grof

How to Steal a Bike (Nor) dir. Johan Fasting

I’m Going to Change the World (Lith) dir. Inesa Kurklietyte*

Into the Ice (Nor) dir. Nicolai Cleve Broch

Kicksled Choir (Nor) dir. Torfinn Iversen

Klara (Ice) dir. Bjorn Hlynur Haraldsson

Legato (Lat) dir. Ilze Burkovska Jacobsen*

Lisa & Lily (Swe) dir. Julia Lindstrom

On a Scale of One to Ten (UK) dir. Ninna Palmadottir

Save Our Souls (Ger) dir. Jonas Steinacker

Silverwhite (Est) dir. Martti Helde*

The Cannibal (Swe) dir. Mans Mansson

The Greatest Illusion (Nor) dir. Benjamin Ree

The Sorcerer’s Eye (Lat) dir. Aik Karapetian*

Wannabe (Den) dir. Patricia Bbaale Bandak

Works In Progress

Arru (Nor) dir. Elle Sofe Sara

Clementine Orange (Swe) dir. Lisa Forslund

Dante (Swe) dir. Linda Hamback

Don Quijote of Barcelona (Fin) dir. Jarmo Lampela

Disturbed (Ice) dir. Bragi Thor Hinriksson

Face of Fear (Nor) dir. Martin Thomas

Father’s Day (Fin) dir. Aleksi Salmenpera

Fighter (Nor) dir. Irasj Asanti

Kidnapping of a President (Fin) dir. Samuli Valkama

Kraken (Nor) dir. Pal Oie

Nipster (Swe) dir. Sunniva Eir Kveum

Tears of Concrete (Ice) dir. Elvar Gunnarsson

The Greenest Grass (Swe) dir. Kim Sundbeck

The Son of Revenge – The Story of Kalevala (Fin) dir. Antti J Jokinen

Three of a Kind (Den) dir. Charlotte Brodthagen