Åshild Ramborg • Producer
"We are effective and creative, being used to smaller budgets without compromising quality"
by Cineuropa
- We chatted to Åshild Ramborg, of Norway’s Maipo Film, one of this year’s participants of the Producers on the Move initiative
Åshild Ramborg graduated in Film Production from The Norwegian Film School in Lillehammer. She joined Maipo Film in 2009 after having produced several acclaimed short films. Her first feature was Anne Sewitsky's Homesick [+see also:
trailer
interview: Ine Marie Wilmann
film profile] in 2015, and she has then produced Mikkel Brænne Sandemose's family adventure The Ash Lad: In the Hall of the Mountain King [+see also:
trailer
interview: Eili Harboe
film profile] which became a huge box-office hit in Norway in 2017. Sandemose is working on a sequel, The Ash Lad: In Search of the Golden Castle. We chatted to her after her selection for the European Film Promotion’s 2018 Producers on the Move initiative at the 71st Cannes Film Festival.
Cineuropa: Which is the film you are most proud of and why?
Åshild Ramborg: How do you choose between your babies? I think each film is unique, with its very own, special history and outcome. More than anything, I'm proud of the fact that I've been given the chance to work with and learn from extremely talented people along the way.
What are the challenges and merits of producing in Norway?
Norway has a population of 5,3 million people. In such a small country, you get visible - for better or worse. More importantly, we have a unique system of state funding, and we've had periods of an offensive and ambitious film policy that now show results. We are no longer the Scandinavian underdog - Norwegian films and TV dramas win prizes and capture audiences around the world. In general, we have a high level of costs, but at the same time I would say that we are extremely effective and creative, being used to smaller budgets without compromising quality. Not to mention, we have several world-class, cost-effective post-production houses which is quite rare for a country of our size.
What are your expectations in Cannes as one of the "Producers on the Move"?
I truly hope and expect to establish some long-lasting work relationships. More than ever I am reminded of how important it is to have a solid European network based on mutual trust. It's easy to get lost in translation - and I experience that it's hard to take projects in development to the next level without strong partners abroad. Ultimately, Producers on the Move will hopefully generate some universal and unforgettable stories that communicate with a broad audience.
What are your next projects?
Principal photography of Mikkel Brænne Sandemose's family adventure film The Ash Lad: In Search of the Golden Castle commences on 13 June, hence we are now in the middle of a heavy prep period. In Cannes, I will be searching for one or two co-producers to join the Eternal Summer team. One of Norway's most talented young directors Jakob Rørvik has written an unsentimental love story, literally about life and death: Elisabeth (29) gets the message that her husband is dying - this will be his last summer. She then escapes into an intense relationship with a younger man. Eternal Summer will wrench your heart - but leave you with solace, hope and faith in life. We are now in the middle of an extensive casting process, and plan to shoot next year. Amongst other projects, I'm looking for European partners for an adrenaline-pumping thriller inspired by recent political events in Norway, written by John Kåre Raake (The Wave [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Roar Uthaug
film profile], Ragnarok [+see also:
trailer
film profile]).
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