Göteborg Film Festival is the largest film festival in the Nordic countries. It was launched in 1979 and offers every year 450 movies for more than 160 000 participants. Göteborg & Co and The Trade and Industry Group support Göteborg Film Festival in its journey toward an even larger international status by the 400^th anniversary of Gothenburg in 2021. The artistic director Jonas Holmberg gives us more information about this year’s festival.

Hi Jonas! Who are you?

I am the artistic director of Göteborg Film Festival, meaning that I supervise the work of putting together the program. We travel around the world every year and watch thousands of movies to be able to choose the best for the festival. It’s a very fun job!

Göteborg Film Festival is the largest film festival in the Nordic region and you are now aiming to get an even more international status. How?

It’s been a long time since the Göteborg Film Festival became an international festival. A lot of people from all over the world travel to Gothenburg to watch new Nordic movies. We are now aiming to raise the international reputation of the festival. The key is to create unique content. It is important, for example, to have world premieres on high quality films, but also to have special programs and exciting guests. In Gothenburg it is much easier to meet the actors and directors compared to bigger festivals. Anyone here can listen to world names in our seminar program, and you’re welcome to meet big stars in bars.

What are your three “do not miss” tips for this year’s festival?

One should not miss any of the films in our main competition, Nordic Competition, where Nordic movies compete for the world’s biggest film prize. There are always amazing premiere shows at the Dragon movie theater. One of the nominated films this year is Lisa Langseth’s Euphoria. Alicia Vikander has the leading role, and she will be in participating at the premiere.

I also think you should not miss the Bergman program. There will be some of Sweden’s leading directors; Tomas Alfredson, Lisa Aschan, Pernilla August and others, who have interpreted the legacy of Bergman in new short films that will have their world premiere at the festival.

Finally, take a chance to visit our festival arena in the district of Andra Långgatan. This is where you can meet film profiles from around the world, attend seminars and perhaps most importantly – take a glass of wine with a friend and discuss what you have seen during the day.

Göteborg Film Festival will take place January 26 – February 5, 2018. More information here.