Denmark’s distribution outfit 41 Shadows headed by Pernille Munk Skydsgaard (pictured) has pre-bought the debut feature of Cinéfondation winning director Juho Kuosmanen as part of a plan to up its acquisition of Nordic films.

Kuosmanen’s feature debut The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Mäki is set in 1962, Helsinki. Boxer Olli Mäki is fighting the match of his life against the American world champion in the under 60kg category, but all he’s thinking about is getting back to his girlfriend.

The film produced by Aamu Filmcompany in co-production with Sweden’s Tre Vänner will be delivered in the spring 2016. “The comedy drama is the type of entertaining auteur film that I want to bring to Danish audiences,” says Skydsgaard, former Head of Marketing at the Danish Film Institute.

In 2015, the company released eight feature films, including the two Icelandic films Paris of the North, Life in a Fishbowl and Norwegian film 1001 Grams by Bent Hamer. “Ever since I worked at the DFI’s distribution department, I’ve wanted to help films from our neighbouring countries get a chance to reach Danish audiences. Now that I have my own distribution boutique, I realise that it’s not so easy, especially when you deal with smaller dramas without marketing hooks on which to build the word of mouth. But I am convinced that you can find a space on the market by working harder upstream with pre-screenings to create a word of mouth before the official launch, working closely with cinema owners and by creating innovating distribution models, for example by collaborating for instance with Nordic partners and targeted groups such as schools, libraries on event –based release strategies."

Skydsgaard also wears a production hat for 41 Shadows and is co-producing the Belgian debut film Tonic Immobility by Nathalie Teirlinck, majority produced by Savage Film (Bullhead). Danish crew attached to the DFI supported psychological drama include production designer Charlotte Bech (In Your Arms) and Lars von Trier editor Molly Stensgaard who will edit with Morten Egholm and Frederik Strunk (In a Better World).