James Schamus in Göteborg 2026
Göteborg Film Festival is honoured to welcome James Schamus as a special industry guest, joining us on stage on January 28 during Nordic Film Market and TV Drama Vision.
A leading voice in global cinema, Schamus is an Academy Award–nominated producer, award-winning screenwriter, and former CEO of Focus Features, where he oversaw titles including Brokeback Mountain, Lost in Translation, Milk, Dallas Buyers Club, and The Pianist.
Through his New York-based company Symbolic Exchange, he has produced acclaimed films such as The Assistant, Driveways, Adam, We Grown Now, and McVeigh. He is currently collaborating on an opera for The Metropolitan Opera, serving as Consulting Producer and writer on The Boroughs, the forthcoming series from the creators of Stranger Things, and completing a new Netflix comedy filmed in Mexico. He is also Professor of Professional Practice at Columbia University’s School of the Arts.
Schamus will join the Nordic Film Market stage for a moderated conversation with Wendy Mitchell, reflecting on his creative visions and expansive career as a producer, writer, showrunner, educator, and thinker, as well as his perspective on the current state of the audiovisual industry.
Schamus will also serve as Head of the Ingmar Bergman International Debut Award Jury at this year’s Göteborg Film Festival.
Nordic Film Market 2026 TV Drama Vision 2026
New-Look Nordic Film Market Returns – Full Lineup Out in January
Nordic Film Market returns in 2026 in a renewed format at its new venue, Draken.
The 27th edition introduces an expanded insight programme addressing key industry issues while spotlighting visionary perspectives and the near future of the industries. As part of this, the programme will intersect with the TV Drama Vision conference programme, on Wednesday afternoon, January 28.
The 2026 market will showcase a curated selection of 60+ new Nordic titles, including exclusive works in progress, market screenings, as well as projects seeking co-production and financing partners. The full lineup of projects will be announced in early January.
Nordic Film Market takes place in Göteborg January 28–30, 2026.
New Nordic Voices: A Spotlight on Tomorrow’s Nordic Talent
In partnership with the Nordic film school network NORDICIL, New Nordic Voices showcases emerging filmmakers and standout student projects from the region’s next generation of storytellers.
Taking place on January 30, the session presents selected works from Nordic film schools, with each school contributing one key project.
Moderated on stage and featuring live industry feedback, the presentation offers a professional platform for introducing new talent to the international market and supporting their entry into the industry.
The following NORDICIL member schools are participating in Göteborg:
- Arcada University of Applied Sciences, Helsinki, Finland
- Danish National Film School, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Film School in Kabelvåg, Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
- HDK-Valand Academy of Art and Design, University of Göteborg, Sweden
- Iceland University of the Arts, Reykjavik, Iceland
- Norwegian Film School, Lillehammer, Norway
- Stockholm University of the Arts, Stockholm, Sweden
- Tampere University of Applied Sciences, Tampere, Finland
- Turku Arts Academy, Turku, Finland
- Westerdals / Kristiania University College, Oslo, Norway
Discover the Talents of the Nordics – Early-Bird ends December 15
Join us at the leading film festival and marketplace in the Nordics – the 49th Göteborg Film Festival, taking place January 23–February 1, 2026.
Together with Nordic Film Market and TV Drama Vision, the festival annually gathers 2,000+ professionals from more than 50 countries, making it the key platform to discover new films and series from the Nordics.
As an accredited, you’ll access the festival programme, exceptional networking opportunities and the dynamic industry programme at the heart of the festival – Hotel Draken.