Ten UK production companies will pitch new feature film projects to potential co-producers in Scandinavia at the first Nordic Co-Production Forum, which takes place on Monday, 21 August-Tuesday, 22 August during the Norwegian International Film Festival in Haugesund.

Organised with UK-German content financing consultancy peacefulfish and Film London, the Forum concludes the 12th edition of New Nordic Films, the market for new Nordic cinema, which runs between Aug 18-21 with a record number of 300 participants. Fifty international buyers and festival programmers have registered.

"We want to set up a Producers' Club, to contribute to increasing the number of co-productions between the Nordic countries and the rest of Europe," said festival director Gunnar Johan Løvvik. "We start with the UK, becuse independent film production there has a lot in common with Scandinavian film production."

Nordic CineMart received submissions from 48 UK production houses, with projects mostly in the $1.3m-$6.4m (Euros 1-5m) range. The companies selected for the presentation include Dan Films, World Friend Films, Eclectic Films, Saltire Entertainment and Sirius Pictures.

In addition New Nordic Films will host the first Seed Forum Haugesund on Aug 21, initiated with peacefulfish and Seed ForumInternational, where five companies unfold their production portfolios to private investors.

Preceded by the Amanda ceremony - the local film awards - the 34th Norwegian International will open Aug 19, launching a programme of 86 international features, adding 27 titles showing in New Nordic Films. For the first time Norway is represented by five new features in the catalogue.

"Naturally we wanted to celebrate the strong position of local cinema: four Norwegian films selected Cannes, a festival winner in Karlovy Vary, and soaring admissions for Norwegian films domestically," said programme director Hakon Skogrand.

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