04/06/2014 - Amidst a major restructuring process, the Norwegian cinema association has appointed Guttorm Petterson managing director, to succeed Lene Løken

The former CEO of SF Norge, Guttorm Petterson, who was, less than two months ago (22 April), forced to step down after 14 years as head of Swedish major Svensk Filmindustri’s production-distribution arm in Norway, was yesterday (3 June) named managing director of Norwegian cinema association Film & Kino. 

During its annual general meeting in Oslo, chairman of the board Knut Even Lindsjørn announced the appointment of Petterson, who will succeed Lene Løken; the latter – after having been in charge for 12 years – has decided it is time for retirement. There were 18 applicants for the position.

“With Petterson’s long experience from different parts of the film and cinema industry, Film & Kino will get a leader with a broad and relevant background that will help the organisation adapt to the new times,” said Lindsjørn. “He will be important in the major restructuring process we have just started.” 

“With the technological and market changes, the industry is facing strong challenges that necessitate rethinking and reorganisation, and I look forward to being on the team taking Film & Kino into a new era and professionalising it, to allow it to become a more streamlined trade operator,” Petterson added.

At its annual general meeting, Film & Kino is discussing the priorities for its future activities, following a fall in revenue: mainly financed by levies on cinema tickets and DVD sales/rentals, the association received an income of €11.7 million in 2007. This year, it was down to €6 million, and it is expected to drop further – to €5.2 million in 2015 and €4.7 million in 2016.

Before he started with SF Norge in 1999, Petterson had been film manager at Oslo Municipal Cinemas for 13 years. He has 16 producer’s credits (and directed one short, The Accident Report, in 1993); he is currently chairman of the Norwegian Film Distributors’ Association.