Industry Highlights during TIFF

Monday

On the first day of the festival we celebrate the opening of the outdoor cinema in the morning and the official opening of the festival with the opening film Solomamma in the evening! After the opening screening, there will be a reception at Tromsø Library and City Archives from 8:30pm. Read more and buy tickets for the opening reception here!

Tuesday

The first major event for the Norwegian film industry is the Opening Conference at TIFF. The conference takes place at Clarion Hotel The Edge from 10am-2pm. Please note the conference will be held in Norwegian only.

Tuesday also marks the start of Film Talks. TIFF and the film magazine Montages invite audiences to conversations with directors, actors, and screenwriters visiting this year’s festival. This is a unique opportunity to get even more out of the films you watch and to get up close with both well-known and emerging film professionals at TIFF. The conversations take place every weekday from Tuesday to Friday at 12:00pm noon at Tromsø Library and City Archives. The conversations are mainly in English, but please note that with Norwegian guests the conversations might be in Norwegian only. Read more about this year’s Film Talks here!

Wednesday

The International Sámi Film Institute (ISFI) invites audiences on Wednesday to Sámi Films Rising, a professional and artistic panel discussion focusing on the rise of genre filmmaking in Sámi cinema. Sámi Films Rising is part of ISFI’s work to strengthen Sámi film development and highlight the breadth, ambition, and artistic power of today’s Sámi film landscape. The discussion takes place at Bakrommet at Amtmandens on Wednesday at 4pm. Read more here!

Arctic Film Norway invites industry officials for a social gathering at Amtmandes at 7pm.

Thursday

Innovation Norway Arctic and TIFF invite you to Xn TIFF, a conference that highlights various themes within the creative industries, with a special focus on the film industry and related fields. Through a series of individual sessions with presentations and discussions, the aim is to create a platform for dialogue and the exchange of knowledge and ideas—where participants can be inspired, learn from one another, and gain insight into the latest trends and developments in their fields.
Xn TIFF takes place at Bakrommet at Amtmandens from 10:00am to 3pm. Read more and register here!

At the same time you can meet commissioning editors from the Norwegian Film Institute (NFI), broadcasters NRK and SVT, ISFI, and Arctic Film Norway. If you have questions about development, financing, or collaboration, feel free to stop by the Industry Area at Amtmandens between 11am to 2pm.

Will there be Norwegian glory in Hollywood? The Norwegian Film Critics Association and TIFF invite you to this year’s Critics’ Seminar, just hours after the Oscar nominations are announced. For Norwegians, the excitement is especially high: Will Norwegian films such as Sentimental Value and The Ugly Stepsister be nominated in any of the 24 categories? And what about Mona Fastvold’s The Testament of Ann Lee? A panel of critics will sum up how satisfied the Norwegian films can be, who deserves to win, and just how important an Oscar really is. The Critics’ Seminar takes place at Bakrommet at Amtmandens at 6pm and is open to everyone. Please note that parts of the seminar might be in Norwegian only.

Friday

On Friday morning it’s time for this year’s edition of Below Zero (formerly NORTH Pitch)! This is a financing forum for documentary films from the High North, where ten to twelve filmmakers present their projects to a panel of investors from various countries (film funds, TV companies, distributors). The pitches begin at 10am at Lillescenen in Kulturhuset and are open to all. Read more about Below Zero here!

One of the most prominent guests at this year’s TIFF is screenwriter and director Eliza Hittman. She has directed the feature films It Felt Like Love (2013), Beach Rats (2017), and not least Never Rarely Sometimes Always (2020), which won the Silver Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival. In addition, she has directed several TV series for HBO, Netflix, and Peacock, among others. Together with Arctic Film Norway, TIFF invites you to a Masterclass with Hittman on visual storytelling and character building. This takes place at Bakrommet at Amtmandens on Friday at 4.30pm. Read more about the Masterclass here!

These events are just some of what the industry can experience at this year’s TIFF! Check out the Film Industry page for even more information and programming.

We welcome the film industry to a rich and enjoyable week at the festival!