Denmark is adding a key new player to its audiovisual ecosystem with the official launch of the Eastern Denmark Film Fund, a government-backed regional fund created to support and attract film and television productions to the eastern part of the country.

The initiative has been developed in collaboration with the Danish Film Institute and several partner municipalities, and forms part of a broader strategy to consolidate the region as an internationally competitive production hub.

Producer Kim Magnusson, internationally renowned for his career, has been appointed to lead the fund’s initial development phase. Magnusson has been behind the Oscar-winning short films Election Night and Helium, as well as feature films such as Men & Chicken and Adam’s Apples, directed by Anders Thomas Jensen.

“Being able to take part in building the Eastern Denmark Film Fund is an extraordinary opportunity,” Magnusson said. “We now have three regional funds that together cover the entire country. This was clearly needed, as there is strong demand to shoot films and series in this part of Denmark. I’m confident we can attract major, high-profile projects. In addition, with the new tax incentive that will soon come into effect, producers will have access to very attractive financing schemes in Denmark.”

The fund is open to both Danish and international productions, with a particular focus on co-productions and incoming projects from abroad. The first funding round is expected before the summer, with the aim of supporting “high-quality productions that generate creative, cultural and economic impact.” The final organisational structure will be established in the autumn.

According to its founders, the new instrument “serves as a strong complement to FilmFyn and the West Danish Film Fund, ensuring greater geographical balance in Danish film production.” The fund operates under the umbrella of Copenhagen Capacity, the organisation dedicated to attracting international companies to Eastern Denmark and talent to the national creative sector.

For Asbjørn Overgaard, CEO of Copenhagen Capacity, the creation of the fund marks a strategic step forward: “The Eastern Denmark Film Fund is essential to increasing the visibility and competitiveness of Eastern Denmark as a filming destination. With the support of the Danish Film Institute, we have a solid foundation for attracting more film and TV productions, creating local jobs and strengthening the region’s creative industries.”

Financially, the fund begins with a municipal contribution of DKK 12.8 million (approximately €1.7 million) from the municipalities of Copenhagen, Vordingborg and Guldborgsund. This investment has unlocked additional support from the Danish Film Institute amounting to DKK 27.7 million (around €3.7 million), bringing the total available budget to DKK 40.5 million (approximately €5.5 million) for audiovisual productions in Eastern Denmark.