From its establishment in 1955, The Norwegian Film Institute has evolved into the governing body for public funding of the Norwegian audiovisual sector.
The Norwegian Film Institute (NFI) was established on May 3 1955, concluding a series of major government initiatives in the film sector after the end of WWII.
The government increased the state ownership share in the production company Norsk Film AS through the founding of the national cinema distribution scheme Bygdekinoen in 1948 and the national film board Statens Filmsentral in 1949. Alongside these institutions, a system of state support for feature film production was introduced in 1948, and amended in 1950, 1955 and 1964, with a support scheme for «independent artistic short films» introduced by the Arts Council Norway in 1955.
Initially, the NFI was tasked with collecting, cataloguing and preserving Norwegian films and Norwegian film heritage. The NFI was a founding member of the Fédération Internationale des Archives du Film (FIAF).
Through the postwar decades, the NFI activities and responsibilities have expanded continually.
What began as a national film library has evolved into the governing body for all public funding in the Norwegian film sector.
In 1990, the administration of public feature film funding in Norway was formally transferred from the Ministry of Culture to the NFI. The NFI was also entrusted with the international promotion of Norwegian films.
The national Cinematek / Cinemateque in Oslo, established in 1984 with funding support from the NFI, was formally incorporated into the NFI in 1994. In 1996, the NFI opened its two world class cinema theatres /screening rooms in downtown Oslo, named after Norwegian filmmaking pioneers Tancred and Lillebil Ibsen.
A 2001 government review of the national film support policies pooled the production resources distributed through the NFI by establishing the Norwegian Film Fond / Norsk Filmfond. The Film Fund now receives annual government allocations of approx. E 60 million towards development, production and promotion of Norwegian film, drama series and games.
A 2015 government white paper outlining a new Norwegian film policy emphasized diversity and platform neutrality, and encouraged a restructuring and streamlining of the NFI funding schemes. NFI was also given added responsibility for funding distribution and exhibition initiatives in Norway through cinemas, cinematheques and film festivals.
In 2016, the government established the Norwegian Film Production Incentive scheme, which is managed by the NFI.
In 2023, the NFI reopened its newly refurbished office space in Dronningens gate, including a major makeover of the national Cinematheque. Kjersti Mo was appointed CEO of NFI in 2019 for a six year term.