30/09/2021 - Running from 6-10 October, the programme combines established and rising talent during an inspirational series of seminars, workshops and events, and features a Work in Progress showcase

Birta by Bragi Thór Hinriksson, one of the Work in Progress projects

RIFF Industry Days will be held during the Reykjavík International Film Festival along with the second edition of the Icelandic Market Forum, giving key players and newcomers to the industry an opportunity to exchange and develop ideas as well as forge connections.

“Iceland is naturally geolocated between the USA and Europe, making it the perfect place to link continents, industries and professionals,” says Carolina Salas, manager of RIFF Industry Days. The programme offers an impressive line-up of international speakers with an emphasis on Iceland and the Nordic region, as well as a Dutch delegation with a number of speakers from various backgrounds.

The Work in Progress showcase will feature some of the latest Nordic film productions, including some from Greenland and the Faroe Islands for the first time. It is curated by the programme director of RIFF, Frédéric Boyer, who says: “I am thrilled to share with the film industry the Icelandic films and TV works in post-production: upcoming talents, innovative filmmakers and exciting production companies.” For the full list of projects, please scroll down.

The viewpoint of small Nordic nations can also be explored in the Voices Elsewhere panel discussion, which deals with the importance of Arctic film productions and their worldwide distribution when it comes to transmitting and conserving Arctic cultural values. Furthermore, there will be a panel about Nordic Noir and its relevance on the international film scene. The discussion will consist of various industry professionals, with a focus on scriptwriting.

Music in film will be prominent at the festival. Iceland has already established a reputation as a prolific and convenient recording location, and recent government rebates have served to make it further financially favourable. The Iceland Music section will present the benefits of recording music in Iceland for film and music industry professionals, and their representatives will partake in a panel discussion.

The main industry events will be held at the Nordic House in Reykjavik, and will be recorded and live-streamed online.

Here is the list of RIFF Industry Days Work in Progress projects:

Feature films

The Moon Traveller - Aka Hansen (Greenland)
This Road of Mine - Pipaluk Kreutzmann Jørgensen (Greenland)
Eitt sindur um hvussu vit elska - Anton Petersen (Faroe Islands)
12 Hours to Destruction - Nanna Kristín Magnúsdóttir (Iceland/Finland)
Birta [+see also:
trailer
film profile] - Bragi Thór Hinriksson (Iceland)
Summerlight, and Then Comes the Night [+see also:
film review
film profile] - Elfar Adalsteins (Iceland/Netherlands/Belgium/ Sweden)

TV series

Stella Blómkvist II - Óskar Thór Axelsson, Thóra Hilmarsdóttir (Iceland) - special showcase after national premiere
Fractures - Eva Sigurdardóttir (Iceland)