Gudmund HelmsdalFilmmaker

Tales from a Tiny Nation with a Global Reach

Helmsdal will speak about the challenges and opportunities of making films in a country with no formal film industry — and how each feature must be built from scratch, like a startup.

Gudmund Helmsdal is a Faroese filmmaker and the founder of Helmsdal Media, a production company based in Tórshavn. He holds an MA in Film Art from the University of Copenhagen and a BA in Film and Media Studies.

His work focuses on developing original, culturally grounded genre films from one of the world’s smallest film industries. His award-winning short Brother Troll has screened at 162 festivals across 43 countries, receiving 121 international awards. He is currently developing two feature projects: Whistler, a Faroese folk horror set in the mountains — a contemporary story rooted in myth, the landscape, and psychological tension; and Vandaferð, a survival drama set on the ocean during World War II, inspired by true events.

Working from a country with no formal film industry, Helmsdal is committed to building a sustainable filmmaking practice in the Faroe Islands — creating stories that are distinctly Faroese in identity while designed for global audiences. His work is shaped by the physicality of the Faroese environment, a deep respect for oral storytelling traditions, and a belief in the power of genre to explore complex human experiences.

At Tonik, Helmsdal will speak about the challenges and opportunities of making films in a country with no formal film industry — and how each feature must be built from scratch, like a startup. From pitching and financing to assembling teams and navigating the raw realities of production, every film becomes a venture in itself. Helmsdal explores how big, globally resonant cinema can emerge from small, remote places — when stories stay true to their roots but dare to reach outward.