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Now in its third edition, the Young Nordic Voices Think Tank is RIFF's annual participatory forum for emerging Nordic and Icelandic film creatives between the ages of 18 and 30. It is not a panel or a lecture — it is a working session designed to give young voices space to speak candidly about the realities of early-career filmmaking, with industry mentors responding in genuine dialogue.
RIFF is deeply committed to creating space for emerging voices. We believe that the future of Nordic cinema depends on hearing from those who are living it now.
The third Think Tank took place in the Nordic House on September 30th 2026. This time the question asked was: what does it take to build a life as a screenwriter in the Nordic and Arctic region today, and what needs to change?
The edition led together ten participants from the Arctic Script Lab with three Icelandic professional screenwriters at various stages in their careers: Davíð Már Stefánsson, Katla Sólnes and Aldís Amah Hamilton.
Held at the Nordic House in Reykjavík on 2 October 2025, this edition brought together 15 Iceland-based participants under the theme "The Invisible Middle: Not a Student, Not a Pro — Now What?" — exploring the precarity and uncertainty of the transition from education into professional life.
Filmmaker Pipaluk K. Jørgensen, who is also the founder of the Nuuk International Film Festival, and director Arnar Már Vigfússon led this year's think tank. The discussions focused on both the emotional and practical challenges of launching a career in filmmaking within a small national film industry. Mentors Erlendur Sveinsson (Iceland), Francisco Dias (Portugal), and Valentina Bronzini (Italy/Germany) also took part in an open discussion with the participants.
The first Think Tank established the format and its ambition: a space for emerging creatives to articulate their experiences within a rapidly changing film landscape. Discussions opened conversations around sustainability, access, inclusion, and the evolving conditions of contemporary filmmaking across the Nordic region.
