LHÍ film students at the Nordic Film Market in Gothenburg

Third-year students in the Department of Film Arts at the Iceland Academy of the Arts recently participated in Gothenburg Film Festival og Nordic Film Market in Gothenburg, one of the most important events in the Nordic film industry. Participation is an annual part of the department's work and marks an important step in connecting students with the professional environment.

Students from various Nordic film schools participated in a five-day course entitled Entering the Industry, course in collaboration with Nordicil, a network of Nordic film schools. Partner schools include LHÍ, Den Danske Filmskole, Den Norske Filmskolen, Stockholm University of the Arts and HDK-Valand (Gothenburg University), which also hosted the festival.

This year, over 150 students participated and gained insight into film festival operations, practices and networks in the Nordic film industry. During the course, students attended lectures and seminars with leading industry professionals, including film journalist Wendy Mitchell, pitch coaches Valeria Richter and Helene Granqvist, director Ruben Östlund and film industry expert and analyst Johanna Koljonen.

This year, a new event was also held at Nordic Film Market under the name New Nordic Voices, where film students presented their projects to industry professionals. One representative was selected from each participating school and received professional pitch training in the days leading up to the event.

Elizabeth Karen Guarino, represented the Icelandic Institute of Technology and presented the project. Cardio BunnyParticipation in events such as Nordic Film Market og New Nordic Voices reflects the emphasis placed on supporting students in taking their first steps into an international professional environment and supporting their future in filmmaking.