Faroese cinema and transnational nation-building

Abstract

In addition to providing a brief history of Faroese cinema in a broad perspective, this article examines the juxtaposition of the transnationalism of Nordic cinema and what could be called a Faroese cinema, which has previously not been the focus of scholarly attention within Nordic cinema studies. This article presents the case for Faroese cinema as a nation-building practice within a transnational funding, production and distribution context. By expanding the notion of Faroese cinema to include films containing various national and transnational markers, it aims to provide a deeper and broader understanding of the development of a distinct film industry on the Faroe Islands. Extending from previous work in transnationalism and globalization in Nordic cinema, this article argues that Faroese cinema is inherently transnational and that recent institutional establishments and feature film productions are not starting points for Faroese cinema, but rather milestones in its development.