In celebration of Nordisk Film’s 120th anniversary, the European Film Academy has added Nordisk Film’s historic headquarters and studios in Valby to its prestigious list of iconic places and institutions of great significance to European cinema.
Studio Babelsberg in Potsdam, Institut Lumière in Lyon, and the Potemkin Stairs in Odesa are among more than 70 historic film locations and landmarks across Europe that are now joined by Nordisk Film. The milestone comes 120 years after founder Ole Olsen established his film company in Valby and produced his first blockbuster, THE POLAR BEAR HUNT (Isbjørnejagten, 1907).
Allan Mathson Hansen, CEO of Nordisk Film, welcomes the international recognition of the company’s historic legacy:
"We are immensely proud that the European Film Academy has recognized Nordisk Film as a place of exceptional value to European film history. Everyone who is part of Nordisk Film today knows that we stand on the shoulders of 120 years of groundbreaking storytelling and skilled business development. We are reminded of this every single day as we walk among these historic buildings and cross paths with the guided tours on the lot," says Allan Mathson Hansen.
Preserving cinematic heritage
The European Film Academy launched the Treasures of European Film Culture initiative in 2015 to ensure that sites and institutions of symbolic importance to European film history are celebrated and preserved for future generations. Pascal Edelmann, Head of European Film Heritage at the Academy, has no doubt that Nordisk Film in Valby belongs on the list:
"We are thrilled to welcome Nordisk Film’s studios to the list on the occasion of its 120th anniversary. From pioneers like Carl Theodor Dreyer and Valdemar Psilander to the beloved Olsen Gang classics and today’s award-winning features, Nordisk Film has been a cornerstone of European film history since 1906. As a true grande dame among European film studios, it now joins an esteemed circle of European heritage sites, including Studio Babelsberg in Berlin and Dovzhenko Film Studios in Kyiv. We congratulate them on this extraordinary milestone and look forward to the next 120 years of filmmaking in Valby," Edelmann says.
Modern storytelling in a historic setting
In 1910, the world’s oldest surviving silent film stage, Stage 2, was built on the Nordisk Film lot in Valby. Today, the stage houses a museum exhibition and remains a highlight for many of the 15,000 visitors who join Nordisk Film’s studio tours each year.
Over the decades, icons of Danish and international cinema - such as Ole Olsen, Robert Storm Petersen (Storm P.), Valdemar Psilander, and director Erik Balling - have walked these grounds, which have hosted seminal productions including The Olsen Gang film franchise as well as classic television series such as Matador and The House at Christianshavn.
While the historic buildings have preserved their original charm, the lot has continuously evolved to accommodate new ventures. Today, Nordisk Film is a leading Nordic entertainment company with approximately 800 employees, producing and distributing films and series, operating major cinema chains and its own streaming service, distributing PlayStation consoles, selling cinema advertising, and investing in leading video game studios.
On Stage 4 - which was destroyed during World War II and rebuilt in 1946 - Nordisk Film now operates the Nordic region’s only full 360-degree virtual production LED stage. Recent productions shot here include the Netflix hit series THE CHESTNUT MAN, Ole Bornedal’s NIGHTWATCH: DEMONS ARE FOREVER, and the Department Q thriller BOUNDLESS.
"Nordisk Film is in a very different place today than we were 120 years ago. We have faced numerous challenges and industry disruptions along the way, but we have always managed to reinvent ourselves - and we must continue to do so to remain relevant. At the same time, celebrating our heritage is vital, reminding us that the ability to tell compelling stories has always been our greatest strength," concludes Allan Mathson Hansen.