SELECTED FOR impACT Lab AT MARCHÉ DU FILM IN CANNES

Published: 23.04.2025

JOINES IMPACT LAB AT CANNES

Producers Marja Bål Nango and Espen Larsson are among eight other producers chosen for the impACT Lab program at Marché du Film in Cannes, during Festival de Cannes in May this year.

The impACT Lab is explicitly designed to help emerging producers develop essential skills needed for the ideal positioning of their projects in the global marketplace. There are only ten participants in the workshop.

The program impACT Lab, hosted with our partner Marché Du Film in Cannes, features workshops and group sessions led by six experts: Avril Speaks, Amy Sheperd, Daniel Turkov, Ludovica Chiarini, Rania El Mugammar, Marija Razgute.

These sessions will cover creative funding strategies, sustainable development, and empowering narratives for social change. The program offers a opportunity to exchange ideas, reflect on the current industry climate, engage in constructive debate and focus on the values inherent in a diverse film industry with content that speaks to all audiences.

THE PROGRAM INCLUDES:

  • Online workshops with ten selected producers before Cannes.
  • 15 May – 20 May: main activities of Producers Network + impACT Lab onsite workshops in Cannes, Nice, France.

ABOUT MARJA BÅL NANGO

Marja Bål Nango is a Sámi film director, screenwriter, and producer. As a director, her award-winning films Hilbes biigá and Njuokčamat / The Tongues have screened at major festivals worldwide. She co-founded 7išh Film in 2023 with Ingir Bål Nango to champion Sámi ownership and Indigenous storytelling. In 2025, she produces Romssa Táksi and GUSTO GUSTO and serves as the Sámi producer for The Herder, the company’s debut feature in development.

To the ImpACT Lab she brings her new feature film project The Herder. It is Marja Bål Nango’s debut feature, tackling themes of identity, tradition, and resilience within the Sámi community. Developed through the Sundance Screenwriters Lab and TIFF Filmmaker Lab, the film brings an authentic Sámi perspective to the screen, exploring personal and cultural struggles with depth and nuance.

ABOUT ESPEN LARSSON

Espen Larsson is a Sámi director, screenwriter, and producer from Finnmark, Norway. Founder of Finnmark Productions, he focuses on authentic Indigenous storytelling, blending cultural depth with compelling narratives. Recent projects include the comedy De Gjenvendte (2024), Sundance-selected doc Folktales (2025), and upcoming Sámi thriller Sápmi (2026), supported by ISFI and the Indigenous Cinema Alliance (ICA) Fellowship.

To the ImpACT Lab he brings his action thriller feature filmproject Sápmi. The film explores how historical and contemporary injustices impact Sámi families today, and address themes of identity, land ownership, political activism, and the challenges facing indigenous families in the modern world.

ABOUT MARCHÈ DU FILM

Marché du Film welcomes over 15.000 participants from all over the world every year to Cannes, France. The Marché du Film is the business counterpart to the Cannes Film Festival. It’s one of the largest film markets in the world, where film industry professionals gather to buy, sell, finance, and distribute films, as well as to network and showcase their work. It provides a platform for filmmakers, producers, distributors, sales agents, and other industry professionals to engage in negotiations, screenings, and discussions related to the film business.

Read more about Marché du Film – Festival de Cannes 2025 here and see the trailer of the market here.