Nordisk Film, Valby

Facts

World-famous films from Valby

By Flemming Steen Nielsen , Cand.mag. med hovedfag i historie. (6 stories)

One of the oldest film companies in the world is based in Valby Mose in Copenhagen. Nordisk Film was established by travelling entertainer and film man Ole Olsen in 1906, and it quickly grew. With films such as the Lion Hunt from 1907, the then Nordisk Films Kompagni" became world famous and had several international agencies and branches. In 1911, Nordisk Film developed the genre "erotic melodramas", and from 1909-1916 the company with the polar bear logo was one of the world's leading producers of silent movies. Nordisk Film has since weathered upswings and downswings. In 1992, it joined the Egmont Group and now has activities within most media. "

Partly a public place

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The father of the Olsen Gang

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Story written by Flemming Steen Nielsen

Time / Periode 1906

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In 1946, Erik Balling (1924-2005) began as director's assistant at Nordisk Film. He directed Denmark's first colour film, called Kispus (1956), and the Oscar-nominated Qivitoq (1956), among others, before being promoted to company director in 1957. In 1965, Erik Balling teamed up with a scriptwriter called Henning Bahs. Together they produced the 13 Olsen Gang films from 1968-1981 that brought Nordisk Film roaring success at a time when the rest of the Danish film industry was experiencing problems. Balling, Bahs and Nordisk Film were also behind the popular TV series The House in Christianshavn (1970-77) and Matador (the Danish Upstairs Downstairs)(1978-81), which were shown on TV in a number of countries.