The Swedish Film Institute (SFI) has greenlit four new feature films, most of them from established, successful directors.

The major recipient of funding was Swedish production and distribution company Sonet Film, which has already started shooting its first English-language feature film, The Third Wave (Den Tredje Vagen). The film is being directed by Anders Nilsson, who made local box-office hit Executive Protection in 2001. The film, about pan-European organised crime, takes place in Great Britain, Sweden, the Netherlands, France and Germany. It produced by Sonet Film's Joakim Hansson and received $873,000 (SEK 7.5m) from the SFI. The premiere is set for November 2003.

Kjell Sundvall (pictured), the director of last year's biggest Swedish box office hit, romantic drama The Guy In The Grave Next-door (Grabben I Graven Bredvid), was awarded $675,000 (SEK 5.8m) for his new action thriller The Threat (Hotet). Famous local actors including Shanti Roney, Maria Bonnevie (I Am Dina) and Stefan Sauk will star in the story about a computer programmer at an airbase. The film is produced by Christer Abrahamsen of Cinema Art Production AB.

Ella Lemhagen, who reached local and international acclaim with Tsatsiki, Mum And The Policeman in 1999, is set to make a new children's film this year. Tur Och Retur, a story about two children with divorced parents, it will be produced by Charlotta Denward of Filmlance International AB and is set to premiere on December 25. The production received $524,000 (SEK 4.5m) from children's film commissioner Gila Bergqvist-Ulfung.

Finally, the SFI allocated $483,000 (SEK 4.15m) to a feature debut by TV director Alexander Moberg. The relationship drama Mongolpiparen deals with unfaithfulness and takes place in the Swedish island of Gotland. The film will be produced by Mepo Film's Hans Iveberg and the premiere is set for November 2003.

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