Johan Fasting, Silje Storstein and Kristin Grue, writers of Power Play, are the recipients of the 2024 Nordic drama screenwriting award. This was announced at an award ceremony during Göteborg Film Festival’s TV Drama Vision on January 30. 

For the eighth consecutive year, the award for outstanding writing of a Nordic drama series was handed out at TV Drama Vision. The NOK 200 000 (approx € 20 000) award, funded by Nordisk Film & TV Fond, was awarded to the main writers of the series. 

Jury statement: 
“Choosing a winner from a diverse array of such high-quality drama has been both a privilege and a pleasure for us, the jury. The nominees have been diverse: from politics to human despair, from love for a mother to a tragic disaster at sea, from families to co-workers to friends and enemies. But the series that captured us the most was the one that managed to embrace seemingly dull historical facts with humour and playfulness, and that depicted an epoch of political history with all nuances of human idealism and flaws. Makta – Power Play stayed loyal to its essence of truth, lie and poor memory!” 

This year’s jury consisted of Vinca Wiedemann, editor, producer and screenwriter, Denmark; Joel Spira, actor, Sweden; Kateryna Vyshnevska, producer, Ukraine; Charlotte Winberg, journalist and critic, Finland. 

Power Play (Makta) 
Norway, 6×55’ 
Nominated writers: Johan Fasting, Silje Storstein and Kristin Grue 
Broadcaster: NRK 
Produced by: Motlys, Novemberfilm 
Producers: Camilla Brusdal, Vilje Kathrine Hagen 
Director: Yngvild Sve Flikke 
Nordic sales: NRK 
International sales: REinvent 
Premiere: October 29, 2023 

The year is 1974. The setting is 2023. Power Play is a never before seen drama about a crucial turning point in political history based on truth, lies and bad memory. When the Labour Party is torn apart by a disastrous feud between the Chairman and the Prime Minister, the young idealist Gro Harlem Brundtland is unwillingly pulled into the tactics and scheming of modern politics. As the government implodes around her, Gro learns to play her own games of power, climbing the ranks until she is left the last woman standing in the ruins of Labour’s celebrated social democracy. 

Earlier winners of the coveted Nordisk Film & TV Fond Prize were Norway’s Kenneth Karlstad for the series Kids in Crime (2023), Iceland’s Gísli Örn Gardarsson, Björn Hlynur Haraldsson and Mikael Torfason for the crime series Blackport (2022), Denmark’s Maja Jul Larsen for the drama Cry Wolf (2021) Norway’s Sara Johnsen for the drama 22 July (2020), Finland’s Merja Aakko and Mika Ronkainen for the crime series All the Sins (2019), Denmark’s Adam Price for the drama Ride Upon the Storm (2018), and Norway’s Mette. M. Bølstad and Stephen Uhlander for the political drama Nobel (2017). 

For the eighth consecutive year, five drama series from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden have been nominated for the prize, which will be awarded to the main writer(s). The Nordic TV Drama Screenplay Award is worth NOK 200,000 (€20,000) and is funded by Nordisk Film & TV Fond. The 2024 winner(s) will be announced at an award ceremony on the evening of January 30, 2024 during TV Drama Vision 

Nordisk Film & TV Fond Prize for outstanding writing of a Nordic Drama series is presented by the Göteborg Film Festival, the first of its kind in the Nordic region. For the eight consecutive year, five drama series from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden have been nominated for the prize, which will be awarded to the main writer(s). The Nordic TV Drama Screenplay Award is worth NOK 200,000 (€20,000) and is funded by Nordisk Film & TV Fond. The 2024 winner(s) will be announced at an award ceremony on the evening of January 30, 2024 during TV Drama Vision. 

The Nordic countries have stood out lately as one of the most engaging regions for drama series in the world. As a result of TV Drama Vision, Göteborg Film Festival has established itself as the most important meeting place in the Nordics for the international TV industry. In 2016, a new section Nordic Light: TV Drama was introduced within the festival programme, showcasing a wide range of new Nordic TV drama. The Nordisk Film & TV Fond Prize is another step in the festival’s commitment to drama series.

Kenneth Karlstad is a Norwegian director and screenwriter for fiction, music videos and commercials. His debut short film The Hunger earned him a Young Director Award at Cannes 2019 and the Film Critics Award at The Norwegian Short Film Festival. He’s also won several awards for his work on music videos. Kids in Crime is his long-format debut. The jury consisted of Amanda Collin, Actor, Denmark; Nebojša Taraba, producer, Croatia; Wanda Bendjelloul, journalist and critic, Sweden; Leif Holst Jensen, producer and Dean of faculty, TV and Games, Innland University of Applied Sciences, Norway. 

All nominated series 2023:
As Long as We Live, Iceland. Nominated writer: Aníta Briem
Blackwater, Sweden. Nominated writers: Maren Louise Käehne, Karin Arrhenius
Carmen Curlers, Denmark. Nominated writer: Mette Heeno
The Invincibles, Finland. Nominated writer: Matti Kinnunen
Kids in Crime, Norway. Nominated writer: Kenneth Karlstad (2023 winner)

Gísli Örn Gardarsson, Björn Hlynur Haraldsson and Mikael Torfason, writers of Blackport (Verbúðin), was the recipients of the 2022 Nordic TV Drama Screenplay Award. Directed by Gísli Örn Gardarsson, Björn Hlynur Haraldsson, María Reyndal, produced by Nana Alfredsdóttir, Gísli Örn Gardarsson, Björn Hlynur Haraldsson, Nina Dögg Filippusdóttir (Vesturport), sales by About Premium Content. The 2022 Nordisk Film & TV Fond Prize jury consisted of Finnish actor Alma Pöysti, Hungarian writer and creative producer Gábor Krigler, Norwegian screenwriter and director Julie Andemand , Swedish journalist and television critic Mattias Bergqvist.

All nominated series 2022:
Blackport (Verbúðin), Iceland. Nominated writers: Gísli Örn Gardarsson, Björn Hlynur Haraldsson, Mikael Torfason (2022 winner)
Countrymen (Jordbrukerne), Norway. Nominated writers: Izer Aliu, Anne Bjørnstad
Suburbia (Vi i villa), Sweden. Nominated writer: Tove Eriksen Hillblom
The Shift (Det største), Denmark. Nominated writer: Lone Scherfig
Transport (Transport), Finland. Nominated writer: Auli Mantila

Maja Jul Larsen, writer of Cry Wolf (Ulven kommer), was the recipient of the 2021 Nordisk Film & TV Fond Prize. Directed by Pernille Fischer Christensen, May El-Toukhy, Samanou Sahlstrøm and Niclas Bendixen, produced by Claudia Saginario (DR Drama). Sales by DR Sales. The 2021 Nordisk Film & TV Fond Prize jury consists of Swedish actor Evin Ahmad (Snabba Cash), THIS – Future Stories & Engagement Felicia Elisabeth Jackson , Head of International Content Development at Mediapro Studio Ran Tellem.

All nominated series 2021
Cry Wolf (Ulven kommer), Denmark. Nominated writers: Maja Jul Larsen (2021 winner)
Cargo (Rahti), Finland. Nominated writer: Matti Kinnunen
Sisterhood (Systrabönd), Iceland. Nominated writer: Jóhann Ævar Grímsson
Thin Blue Line (Tunna blå linjen), Sweden. Nominated writer: Cilla Jackert
Welcome to Utmark (Velkommen til Utmark), Norway. Nominated writers: Kim Fupz Aakeson

Sara Johnsen, the writer of 22 July (22.juli), was the recipients of the 2020 Nordisk Film & TV Fond Prize. Directed by Pål Sletaune and produced by Elisabeth Tangen and Per Berge Engebretsen (NRK Drama). International distributor: Digital Rights Group(DRG). The 2020 Nordisk Film & TV Fond Prize jury consists of acclaimed Norwegian actor Jakob Oftebro (Agent Hamilton, Kon-Tiki), Swedish actor Moa Gammel (Jordskott, Tommy), Polish award-winning producer and director Dariusz Jabłoński (Photographer, The Pleasure Principle) and Norwegian journalist Cecilie Asker (Aftenposten).

All nominated series 2020
22. July (22.juli), Norway. Nominated writer: Sara Johnsen (2020 winner)
Caliphate (Kalifat), Sweden. Nominated writers: Wilhelm Behrman and Niklas Rockström
Happily Never After (Pabbahelgar), Iceland. Nominated writer: Nanna Kristín Magnúsdóttir
The Paradise (Paratiisi), Finland. Nominated writer: Matti Laine
When the Dust Settles (Når støvet har lagt sig), Denmark. Nominated writers: Dorte Høgh and Ida Maria Rydén

Merja Aakko and Mika Ronkainen, writers of All the Sins (Kaikki Synnit), were the recipients of the 2019 Nordisk Film & TV Fond Prize. Directed by Mika Ronkainen and produced by Ilkka Matila (MRP Matila Röhr Productions Oy) for Elisa Viihde. International distributor: SKY Vision. The 2019 jury consisted of Finnish actress Laura Birn (The Innocents, A Walk Among the Tombstones), Swedish actor Alexander Karim (The Lawyer, Tyrant, Zero Dark Thirty), Swedish/American journalist and TV and podcast producer Christina Jeurling Birro (Pop Culture Confidential) and British content consultant and producer Justin Judd (Hulu, Content Media Corporation, Nevision)

All nominated series 2019
All the Sins (Kaikki Synnit), Finland. Nominated writers: Merja Aakko and Mika Ronkainen (2019 winner)
The Flatey Enigma (Flatey Jargátan), Iceland. Nominated writer: Margrét Örnólfsdóttir
The Inner Circle (Den inre cirkeln), Sweden. Nominated writer: Håkan Lindhé

Kieler Street (Kielergata), Norway. Nominated writers: Stig Frode Henriksen, Jesper Sundnes, Patrik Syversen
The New Nurses (Sygeplejeskolen), Denmark. Nominated writers: Claudia Boderke, Lars Mering
State of Happiness (Lykkeland), Norway. Nominated writer: Mette M. Bølstad

Adam Price, writer of the Danish TV series Ride Upon the Storm (Herrens veje), was the recipient of the 2018 Nordisk Film & TV Fond Prize. Directed by Kaspar Munk and produced by Camilla Hammerich at DR Drama for DR. International distributor: Studiocanal. The 2018 jury consisted of jury president Walter Iuzzolino, Italy/UK, TV executive/curator of the streaming service Walter Presents; Sofia Helin, Sweden, actress (Bron/The Bridge) and Kirpi Uimonen Ballesteros, Finland, entertainment journalist, board member of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association TV committee.

All nominated series 2018
Ride Upon the Storm (Herrens veje) Denmark. Nominated writer: Adam Price (2018 winner)
Stella Blómkvist, Iceland. Nominated writers: Jóhann Ævar Grímsson, Andri Óttarsson and Nanna Kristín Magnúsdóttir
The Lawyer (Advokaten), Sweden. Nominated writers: Karin Gidfors and Charlotte Lesche
Deadwind (Karppi), Finland. Nominated writers: Rike Jokela, Kirsi Porkka and Jari Olavi Rantala
Borderliner (Grenseland), Norway. Nominated writers: Megan Gallagher, Alexander Opsal, Bjørn Ekeberg

The first Nordisk Film & TV Fond Prize in 2017 was awarded to Nobel (Norway) written by Stephen Uhlander and Mette M. Bølstad. The series is directed by Per-Olav Sørensen and produced by Håkon Briseid and Tone Rønning from Monster Scripted. The 2017 Nordisk Film & TV Fond Prize jury consisted of Head of Jury Lars Blomgren Managing Director at Filmlance (Sweden), LA-based Swedish-American producer Gudrun Giddings from G4C Innovation (USA), Drama Consultant Isabelle Pechou (Denmark/France) and Film/TV critic Leena Virtanen (Finland).

All nominated series 2017
Nobel, Norway. Nominated writers: Mette. M. Bølstad and Stephen Uhlander  (2017 winner)
The Bonus Family (Bonusfamiljen), Sweden. Nominated writer: Jesper Harrie
The Day Will Come (Der kommer en dag), Denmark. Nominated writer: Søren Sveistrup
Love and Order (Myrskyn Jälkeen), Finland. Nominated writer: Kaarina Hazard and Leea Klemola
Prisoners (Fangar), Iceland. Nominated writers: Ragnar Bragason and Margrét Örnólfsdóttir