Editor

The 6th edition of the Norrkoping Film Festival Flimmer in Sweden wrapped on sunday the 17th of October. The festival counted a recordbreaking 10 000 spectators, and packed Gala screenings of Walter Salles acclaimed THE MOTORCYCLE DIARIES, the Swedish premiere of french crowd pleaser CHORISTS and Sundance winner MARIA FULL OF GRACE.

“The festival have during this year gained recognition from the swedish film industry and media, and has established itself as a well-organized and cutting edge film festival in Sweden”, says festival director JOHAN KARLSSON.

The main award in the European Competition was given to the british documentary TROLLYWOOD by MADELEINE FARLEY. The film is an unsentimental portrait of homeless people in Los Angeles who drags around shopping carts (trollies) filled with their belongings. TROLLYWOOD won the heart of the festival goers in close competition with the SHOUF SHOUF HABIBI (Netherlands), HEADRUSH (Ireland), PITONS (Latvija) and ONE FOR THE ROAD (UK).

Head of programme, PER ERICSSON commented, "this year was a very strong field of diverse films from interesting european directors, and its exciting to see that its the documentary that our audience responded the most to. That could be a sign of the moment, with for example Fahrenheit 9/11 hitting the big screen."

The award was announced at the closing party, by the singer in swedish hillbilly(!)rockabilly band Flying Phantoms & His Flaming Stars. The bands american repertoire was in fase with the main festival focus; new american political documentarys. During the festival THIS LAND IS YOUR LAND, JOURNEYS WITH GEORGE, WEATHER UNDERGROUND and OUTFOXED hade their Swedish and Scandinavian premieres. All of them highly anticipated by the festival audience, and also much discussed since local conservative politician questioned the towns support to the festival, saying that the films fuelled USA hatered.

ROB CORDDRY from the American Daily Show and lead actor in the paintball-mocumentary Blackballed was one of twenty guests at the two-day industry sideshow FLIMMER DV-EXPO that was sold out. It was also visited by PLEIX, the much acclaimed french virtual community of digital artists. Swedish special effect maker FREDRIK LIMSÄTER from CINESITE in England talked about the work on the upcoming THE HITCHHIKERS GUIDE TO THE GALAXY.

In 2005 Norrkopings Filmfestival Flimmer is going to be held between the 7th and 16tf october.