What Is Nordic Genre Lab?

Nordic Genre Lab is an intensive two-day program designed to accelerate the development of genre feature films from the Nordic countries. We bring together emerging producer + director teams with top international industry experts for mentoring, workshops, matchmaking, pitch training, and a live pitch competition – all during Finnish Film Affair in Helsinki.

Selected panels, masterclasses, and workshops are also open to the public.

What Selected Teams Get

• 2 Mentor sessions with Claire Willats (script and market consulting)
• 1 Mentor session with Todd Brown (positioning consulting)
• Pitch training & live pitch competition with prizes
• 2–4 workshops
• 2–4 panel discussions + one-on-one meetings with panelists
• Matchmaking with financiers, sales agents & collaborators
• Industry press coverage
• Visit to Fireframe LED Screen Studio
• One night accommodation in Helsinki (twin room)
• Full Finnish Film Affair accreditation

Mentors & Industry Experts

(List will be updated as more industry experts are confirmed)

Claire Willats

Lead Mentor

Claire brings 30 years at the highest levels of the film industry, with key roles at Netflix, Universal Pictures International, and Film4. As Director of Nordic Film at Netflix, she commissioned 15 films across Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Finland — including Troll, the number one non-English language film on the platform, and Black Crab. She championed first-time filmmakers, built a partnership with the Sami Film Institute, and launched Stolen, the first Sami-language film on Netflix.

Todd Brown

Mentor

Todd is one of the most influential figures in global genre cinema. With over seventeen years at XYZ Films, he became the person who finds extraordinary talent before the rest of the world catches on. His track record speaks for itself: Gareth Evans (The Raid), Adam Wingard (Godzilla vs Kong), Emma Tammi (Five Nights at Freddy’s), Gerard Johnstone (M3GAN), Tommy Wirkola (Violent Night), and many more all received early support from Todd on their path to global success.

Genres We Support

• Horror
• Sci-Fi
• Fantasy
• Action
• Thriller

Key dates

Partners & Affiliations