Olsen started his company in the Copenhagen suburb of Valby under the name "Ole Olsen's Film Factory" but soon changed it to the Nordisk Film Kompagni. In 1908, Olsen opened an affiliate branch in New York, the Great Northern Film Company, to handle distribution of his films to the American market. In 1909 having been excluded from the MPPC cartel in the United States, which Olsen had hoped to join, Nordisk participated in the Paris Film Congress in a failed attempt by major European producers to form a similar monopoly. As Nordisk Film, it became a publicly traded company in 1911. In 1992, it merged with the Egmont media group, operating as electronic media production and distribution group. The total revenues in 2018 amounted to approximately €559 million. Nordisk Film is the oldest movie production company in operation in the world. Egmont Nordisk Film is the largest producer and distributor of electronic entertainment in the Nordic region.
Operations
The company produces and co-produces national and international feature films in Denmark, Norway and Sweden, which are distributed to cinemas around the Nordic countries, including Nordisk Film Cinemas in Denmark, Norway and Sweden. The films are also distributed internationally for viewing in cinemas, on video and on television. Furthermore Nordisk Film produce games through a number of game studios invested in by Nordisk Film Games, distribute PlayStation in the Nordic and Baltic countries and develop global digital gifting solutions through GoGift. Through the Nordisk Film Foundation, Nordisk Film develop new talent. With an annual budget of approx. DKK 5 million, the Nordisk Film Foundation has also contributed to the development of the Danish film industry over the last 20 years by offering scholarships, project grants and awards. In 2017, the Nordisk Film Foundation launched the one-day tech conference PictureThis_.
Nordisk Film Production produces film and TV series and is involved in approximately 15 films and TV productions in Scandinavia each year. The overall strategy for Nordisk Film Production is the same as when the company was founded: To entertain a broad audience. Nordisk Film Production produces feature films, animation films, short films, TV series and TV documentaries to the Scandinavian and international market. In October 2009, Nordisk sold its TV production unit to the Banijay Group.
Nordisk Film Distribution handles and distributes the rights to own productions, a number of local films as well as independent productions. Nordisk Film is behind approximately one in every 5 theatrical films and their Distribution is a major player in the Nordic countries. Their associated company TrustNordisk is one of the largest sales agents in Europe and the leading expert when it comes to Scandinavian feature films and series worldwide.
Nordisk Film Interactive
Nordisk Film Interactive has exclusive distribution rights to Sony PlayStation products in the Nordic countries, and is thereby responsible for a substantial business area in Nordisk Film.
GoGift is a gifting company within Nordisk Film that offer unique gifting solutions for both B2B and B2C.
Nordisk Film Games
Nordisk Film Games invest in Nordic game studios. Nordisk Film Games has invested in six game companies: Avalanche Studios, Flashbulb Games, Multiverse, Raw Fury, Reto Moto and Star Stable Entertainment. On May 30, 2018 it was announced that Nordisk Film had acquired Avalanche Studios.
