BLACKPORT wins the Nordisk Film & TV Fond Prize
Icelandic writers Gísli Örn Gardarsson, Björn Hlynur Haraldsson and Mikael Torfason were awarded the Nordisk Film & TV Fond Prize for the Icelandic TV series Blackport. The award ceremony took place today, February 2, during Göteborg Film Festival's TV Drama Vision. Blackport was among five Nordic drama series nominated for the prize and won approximately € 20,000 (NOK 200.000).
The jury stated: "Dramatic, funny and unpredictable, without losing its original voice, the winner is a show that has strong emotional stakes and a lead character ahead of her time. She refuses to play by the rules, just like this series is not afraid to push narrative boundaries, balancing between existentialism and comedy."
Click here to read Nordisk Film & TV Fond's interview with Gísli Örn Gardarsson, Björn Hlynur Haraldsson and Mikael Torfason.
Russia has oil. Africa has gold. Iceland has fish. Set in the 1980‘s in a small Icelandic fishing village, the story follows a married couple, Harpa and Grimur, as they build a small fishing empire along with their childhood friends. Due to the introduction of a new fishing quota system in the country, where the fishing grounds are privatised, the struggle for power results in a feud of jealousy, greed and betrayal. A collective venture, that mirrors true events as they played out and dramatically changed the political landscape in Iceland, creating the countries first billionaires.
Haraldsson and Gardarsson are also directors of the series along with María Reyndal. Blackport was produced by Nana Alfredsdóttir, Nína Dögg Filippusdóttir, Gardarsson and Haraldsson for Vesturport, in coproduction with RÚV, ARTE France and Turbine Studios.
This year’s Nordisk Film & TV Fond Prize jury consisted of Finnish actor Alma Pöysti, Hungarian writer and creative producer Gábor Krigler, Norwegian screenwriter and director Julie Andem and Swedish journalist and television critic Mattias Bergqvist.
Nordisk Film & TV Fond Prize's purpose is to strengthen Nordic drama series internationally and put the spotlight on the scriptwriter's important role in Nordic drama series.