NENT Group, C More, VGTV Join Nordisk Film & TV Fond

Nordic Entertainment Group (NENT Group), C More Entertainment and VGTV are to become members of the Nordisk Film & TV Fond on January 1, 2020, which will bring the total number of financing partners to 22.

The participation of NENT Group/Viaplay and C More Entertainment in Nordisk Film & TV Fond was facilitated by the Fund’s new agreement structure for 2020-2024, which allows pan-Nordic SVOD services to enter the exclusive Nordic partnership.

Petri Kemppinen, CEO at Nordisk Film & TV Fond, said: “I am extremely pleased that three new partners wanted to join Nordisk Film & TV Fond, two of them pan-Nordic players and one a high-profile channel in the documentary sector, making the total number of our partners 22 as of 2020. This reflects the fast change in the distribution of content in the Nordics and hugely increased investments by private actors. The new financing structure of the Fund also means that we will be able to pursue our mission of financing and promoting quality films, documentaries and TV dramas with an increased budget.”

Jakob Mejlhede Andersen, NENT Group’s executive VP and Viaplay’s chief content officer, said: “High-quality Nordic content is very important to our customers: last year, seven of the ten most watched new series on our streaming service Viaplay were NENT Group original productions. These stories both set us apart from regional and global competitors and are much appreciated internationally, with nearly half of our own series already sold around the world. As we raise our ambitions even higher and look to premiere at least 20 new originals every year, joining Nordisk Film & TV Fond is a natural step forward for NENT Group.”

Åsa Sjöberg, director of content at Bonnier Broadcasting, said: “Becoming a member of Nordisk Film & TV Fond means that C More can continue to invest heavily in original local drama, a crucial part in our ongoing journey as the fastest growing streaming service in Sweden. Looking ahead, C More, as well as TV4 and MTV, strive to strengthen the Nordic voice in a fierce global competition, together with Nordisk Film & TV Fond and the Nordic creative industry.”

Hans Andreas Fay, VGTV’s head of acquisition, said: “We are thrilled to be joining Nordisk Film & TV Fond. This underscores our commitment to the Nordic documentary film community, and will position us as an even stronger force within this strong field of Norwegian broadcasters. We see the partnership in the Fund as a natural next step in giving the Norwegian audience the best selection of documentary content, in which Nordic docs play a vital role.”