Framing Democracy: Panel on film and freedom of expression – The Five Nordics

At the Festival de Cannes on May 17, the Nordic film institutes will host a panel on the role of cinema in defending democracy in an age of polarization and disinformation.

The Five Nordics presents the panel Framing Democracy: The Power of Film at the Marché du Film 2025 conference program. The Nordic film institutes invite key voices from politics, culture, and civil society to explore how films can foster dialogue, strengthen freedom of expression and encourage democratic resilience.

The panel will take place on May 17, 12.00 GMT at Main Stage, Palais. Kjersti Mo, CEO of the Norwegian Film Institute and Vice President of EFAD, will be introducing the panel.

“In the Nordic countries, we have a long-standing belief in culture’s ability to shape society. Nordic films have been strong reflections of our core values: freedom of expression, artistic freedom, diversity, equality, openness, and trust. This panel brings together leading voices from the industry to address a crucial question: How can we, as cultural leaders, protect and promote these values — and ensure that artistic freedom continues to thrive in an increasingly polarized world?”

Attending the panel

  • Ali Abbasi, director and scriptwriter
    Born in Iran and based in Denmark, educated at the Danish Film School. His latest feature The Apprentice (Cannes 2024) earned multiple nominations, including Oscar®, BAFTA and Golden Globe. Holy Spider and Border also premiered at Cannes.

  • Didar Domehri, producer
    French producer and the founder of production company Maneki Films. Maneki has produced over 25 films selected at top festivals like Cannes and Venice. She is Vice President of Unifrance's Producers' Committee and a member of the European Producers Club.

  • Pauline Durand-Vialle. CEO Federation of European Film Directors (FERA)
    Paris-born with a background in distribution and public affairs, joined FERA in 2014. Chaired the European Audiovisual Observatory’s Advisory Committee from 2020 to 2024 and lectures at Sciences Po Lille.

  • Tine Fischer, CEO Danish Film Institute
    Appointed CEO at DFI in 2024. Previously led the National Film School of Denmark and founded CPH:DOX, now one of the world’s leading documentary festivals.

  • Jean-Christophe Simon, producer and sales agent
    Founder of Films Boutique and Parallel45. His companies have backed acclaimed films like The Seed of the Sacred Fig, Eagles of the Republic, and Mia Madre, screening at top festivals.

  • Lisa Dreyer, Festival Director Fantastic Fest
    Based in Austin, Texas. Has a background in film programming, curation and event production. Became director of the US’s leading genre film festival in 2022 after roles in programming. Led its return to full scale and secured FIAPF accreditation.

The panel will be moderated by Rebecca Leffler, France correspondent, Screen International.

The panel will be streamed here.
More details here – add the panel to your Conference Schedule.

About the Five Nordics
The Five Nordics is the collaborative forum of the Nordic film institutes: The Five Nordics is a collaboration between Danish Film Institute, Finnish Film Foundation, Icelandic Film Centre, Norwegian Film Institute, and Swedish Film Institute.

During Festival de Cannes 2025, meet the attendees from the Five Nordics at Nordic House, Sq Merimee 11.