Nineteen Nordic films will be screening and about 50 recent titles represented by 20 sales reps will be negotiated during the Marché du Film in Cannes kick starting on Wednesday. Watch out for some surprises from TrustNordisk and SF International!

Among the leading Scandinavian-based sales companies, LevelK will be the only one based at the Scandinavian Terrace, which will reduce the foot traffic from world buyers at 55 La Croisette. “The lay out at the Scandinavian terrace has been changed and I think it will be a great working place, said LevelK’s CEO Tine Klint who brings four new Nordic films to Cannes: the Norwegian thriller Cave by Henrik Martin Dahlsbakken (with a brand new promo), the Danish arthouse film Parents that just screened in competition at Tribeca, the award-winning Norwegian documentary Brothers and Danish 3D animation The Incredible Story of the Giant Pear in pre-production.

SF International’s sales team will be on board the ‘Naughty by Nature’ SF boat. “The company as a whole decided to use the boat for our activities in Cannes and to stay together – management, production and int’l sales in one place,” explains Head of Sales Anita Simovic. Heading the SF line-up are three Norwegian films: the car racing epic Børning on Ice 2, the extreme sport documentary in 4D Supervention Skiing on the Edge, and the stop motion animation by Rasmus A. Sivertsen In the Forest of Huckybucky, all available for pre-sales. Rounding up SF’s line up are the Swedish films A Holy Mess by Helena Bergström and Berlinale Generation selection Siv Sleeps Astray. “We have also a very promising title to be announced in Cannes,” says Simovic. 

TrustNordisk will bring 10 new Scandi titles plus …a little surprise or two,” according to CEO Rikke Ennis. Four films are screening at the market: the Norwegian documentary Magnus (recently shown at Tribeca), drama Pyromaniac by Erik Skjoldbjærg, Danish period drama The Day Will Come (current N°1 at the Danish BO) and contemporary drama Walk With Me. Ole Bornedal’s black comedy Small Town Killer will be included in the 20 minute promo reel, and two titles will be negotiated for pre-sales: You Disappear by Peter Schønau Fog starring Trine Dyrholm, Nikolaj Lie Kaas and Michael Nyqvist, and the fairytale The Ash Lad: in the Hall of the Mountain King by Mikkel Sandemose (Ragnarok).

For once located at the Riviera in the Palais, The Yellow Affair will be finishing off sales on titles already introduced in Berlin, such as the Swedish youth film Girls Lost, screening at Cannes Ecrans Junior, as well as The Yard, The Girl King, Homecoming, and The Mine. 

Animation specialist Copenhagen Bombay will continue pre-sales on Jacob Ley’s film Get Santa, already pre-sold in Berlin to territories including the UK and France and will start negotiations on Karla von Bentgson’s Next Door Spy.

Selected Non-Scandinavian sales agents
Among the French-based sales companies, Gaumont/Wild Bunch will be finishing off sales on the much anticipated English language film by Nicolas Winding Refn The Neon Demon screening in official competition on Friday May 20. The film has already been picked up by major distributors in Italy (IIF), Germany (Kick Media), the UK (Icon) and Latin America (California Filmes) among others. Scanbox handles Scandinavian rights.

Les Films du Losange is representing the Un Certain Regard selected The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Mäki by Cinéfondation winner Juho Kuosmanen. The Finnish film is one of the most anticipated Nordic titles premiering in Cannes.

The Director’s Fortnight entries The Together Project by Solveig Anspach, co-produced by Iceland’s Zik Zak Filmworks is represented by Le Pacte and Wolf and Sheep by Sharbannoo Sadat co-produced by Denmark’s Adomeit Film, is sold by Alpha Violet.

Wide House is screening the Danish documentary Les Sauteurs produced by Final Cut for Real (first shown at the Forum) and the Finnish/Canadian documentary Cheer Up (Napafilms) that screened successfully at HotDocs.

Among the German sales companies, Beta Cinema will be screening at the market the Norwegian refugee comedy drama Welcome to Norway by Rune Denstad Langlo, Films Boutique the Swedish film Kiki (premiered at Berlin’s Panorama), and Picture Tree International the Danish comedy Satisfaction 1720 by Henrik Ruben Genz.

The Children and youth films specialist Sola Media will be screening the Norwegian animation film Louis & Luca the Big Cheese Race and continue sales on the Danish family film Iqbal and Norwegian hit from 2015 Valley of the Knights-Mira’s Magical Christmas.
Media Luna is selling the new Icelandic comedy drama In Front of Others by Óskar Jónasson. 

Vienna-Based East West Distribution will be screening the Finnish family film Heavysaurs produced by Solar Films, and documentary specialist Autlook Film Sales the Danish documentary Bugs by Andreas Johnsen.

The newly established Italian sales company Summerside International has picked up the Finnish film Urban Family by Oskari Sipola, to be screened at the market.

Montreal-based Attraction Distribution, specialised in kids movies is screening the Danish family film Antboy 3. 

Finally London-based Protagonist Pictures will stat pre-selling the major Finnish project Tom of Finland by Dome Karukoski.