JENS ÖSTBERG has a background as a prominent choreographer, working with many prestigious dance companies around the world, such as the Netherlands Dance Theater and Cullberg Ballet. As a writer and director Jens prefers dark subject matter with a strong atmosphere and a slow burn intensity. Jens is an ’actor’s director’, always looking to create the strongest character work possible. A geek at heart and lover of smart genre filmmaking, he nevertheless sets out to tweak the genre rules.
His short film “Småvilt / Small Game”, a minimalist tale of two brothers, received an honorable mention at The Gothenburg International Film Festival, and his feature film debut “Flugparken / Blowfly Park”, an icy psychological thriller, was nominated for two Swedish Academy Awards, producing a win for lead actor Sverrir Gudnason.
An avid reader of screenplays, Jens is as dedicated to the craft of screenwriting as he is to bring a vision to life as a director. Currently, he’s working on several projects within the genres of supernatural, crime, and psychological horror, both as a screenwriter for other directors, as well as writing for himself to direct. Jens current project is “Tealgia”, a suspense series taking us behind the headlines of organized crime, premiere SVT September 2023.
Inkräktare - feature (writer/director) - in development Taelgia - (story by/writer/director) - 2023 Jag är Zlatan / I am Zlatan - feature (football choreographer, second unit director football scenes) - 2021 Philip & Mona - series (writer/director) - 2019 Flugparken – feature (writer/director) - 2014 Småvilt – short (writer/director) - 2009
AWARDS & NOMINATIONS
Taelgia - Nominated to Prix Europa - 2023
Flugparken / Blowfly Park Stockholm Film Festival - Best Film - 2014
Thessaloniki International Film Festival – Best Film - 2014
Småvilt / Small Game Gothenburg International Film Festival - Honorable Mention - 2009
Self The Cullberg Scholarship - 2004
Philip Morris Ballet Flower Award - 1997
The Sacred Man Grand Prix Sélection National de Rencontres Chorégraphique de Bagnolet - 1995
