The Haugesund New Nordic Films festival has established its inaugural French Focus, a dedicated initiative developed with French government and cultural institutions to strengthen creative ties between the Nordic region and France. The August event will feature a pitching session showcasing four French projects in development, two backed by the award-winning production company Les Valseurs and two from emerging directorial voices, alongside a panel discussion examining co-production opportunities between the regions.

The programme also includes an in-depth study of 'Ibelin,' a Morten Tyldum production following the true story of an online gamer with an ensemble cast including Charlie Plummer and Toni Collette. Festival leadership has positioned the French Focus as a response to growing international recognition of both French artistic excellence and the Nordic region's recent prominence, citing Norway's Oscar win for Best International Feature as evidence of the sector's rising global visibility.