In 2008, the Danish Film Institute earmarked 15 million kroner (2 million euros) to a new low-budget production fund, Rå|Film, that would challenge the industry to think along new lines: quality mainstream films at a lower cost. June 4 saw the release of the first film to receive subsidy – Christian E. Christiansen's "Zoomers".
Christian E. Christiansen, who has helmed the two dramas "Life Hits" and "Crying for Love" and the Oscar-nominated short "At Night", is writer (with Morten Dragsted) as well as director of "Zoomers":
Tim and Alexander are best friends. They both want something badly – Tim to find a girlfriend, Alexander to do better in school. They devise a plan involving a blue print of their school and 100 surveillance cameras – and discover secrets along the way that weren't meant for them.
Rå|Film (= raw film) was launched as a pilot fund in 2008 to make way in the existing subsidy system for funding feature film projects with a maximum budget at 10 million kroner (1.35 million euros) – the financial limitation aimed at stimulating filmmakers to try out new forms of storytelling while still maintaining a keen interest in a mainstream audience.
"We've been really curious to see the first films from Rå|Film," says Claus Ladegaard, Head of Production and Development at the Danish Film Institute. "The team behind 'Zoomers' has actually succeeded in making a powerful children's thriller, where a low budget and a high production value go hand in hand."
"Zoomers" is produced by Louise Vesth for Zentropa.
News brief only – not released as newsletter
For further information:
DFI Press release
New pilot fund for low-budget features
DFI factsheet
Zoomers/ Zoomerne