Nordic Documentary Producer Award Nominees 2024
The Nordic Documentary Producer Award will be given to a producer whose leadership, courage and willingness to take risks has helped ensure the development of emerging talents and advanced the documentary as an art form.
Each Nordic directors’ guild has nominated a singular outstanding producer to be in contention for the 10.000€ prize at this year’s festival. Read on to see the nominees from each country and excerpts from the directors’ motivations. Read more about the award here.
Sara Stockmann, Denmark
Motivation
“Danish Film Directors wish to nominate Sara Stockmann as a producer focused on artistic work. She believes in weird movies and she always stands up for the director. Sara listens, she fights for distinction, for good relationships and for decency. She creates opportunities with impossible financing; oases where film crews can rest and thrive in the shade of palm trees. Sara is something you only dare to imagine: she flickers like a hallucination generated by documentary makers’ hunger, thirst and fever. We warmly recommend Sara Stockmann for the Nordic Documentary Producer Award!”
Liisa Karpo, Finland
Motivation
“Liisa Karpo has had a long career dedicated to documentary producing; first as a freelancer and then in her own company napafilms. She continues her work, persistently spreading joyful vibes despite the challenging landscape of documentary film financing. Within her company she has established a culture of wisdom and warmth while not being afraid to challenge herself through new forms, topics and collaborators. She has been able to foster a safe place for directors to freely create. Titles she has produced include The Gamer, Golden Land and Boys Who Like Girls, as well as several co-productions.”
Sigurjón Sighvatsson, Iceland
Motivation
“Sigurjón (Joni) Sighvatsson is known by the younger and less experienced Icelandic filmmakers as a generous and supportive figure – a pillar of his community. A veteran producer with over 60 feature films and television series to his credit, Sigurjón’s earlier work as a producer includes Madonna: Truth or Dare and Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait – a major French documentary starring David Beckham and Zinedine Zidane. During covid he moved back to Iceland after 42 years in Los Angeles, branching out into documentaries in addition to his work in fiction.”
Ingvil Giske, Norway
Motivation
“The Norwegian film directors’ nomination committee is pleased to nominate film producer Ingvil Giske for her dedication and her long series of highly successful documentaries of the highest quality. For many years, the producer has brought Norwegian films to an international audience, playing a pivotal role in defining Norway as a documentary film nation. She has shown the industry that our stories can achieve great success beyond our borders. Giske inspires us to think even bigger while continuing to explore the intimate and the heartfelt. On behalf of all Norwegian film directors, the nomination committee believes the producer’s work significantly contributes to developing Scandinavian documentary film as an art form and industry.”
Tobias Janson, Sweden
Motivation
“Tobias Janson is a visionary producer who has reshaped and defined Swedish documentary films with courage. His trust in the director’s unique voice has contributed to a series of visionary and ground-breaking documentaries, including Belleville Baby, At Night I Fly and The Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975. His productions have impacted the next generation of filmmakers, audiences and the Nordic film landscape. Tobias’s ability to identify and nurture unique stories has resonated globally, and he has contributed substantially to bringing Swedish documentary films to international arenas.”
The Nordic Documentary Producer Award is graciously sponsored by the Danish Producers’ Association, Virke Norwegian Producers Association, Audiovisual Producers Finland (APFI), the Finnish Documentary Guild, Filmproducenternas Rättighetsförening (FRF), and the Icelandic Filmmakers Association.
