The Rubicon production Lilyhammer beat 20th Century Fox’s hit show Modern Family in the category Best TV Comedy series while US E Street Band guitarist/actor Steven van Zandt (pictured) won Best Actor in a comedy show. "I’m having an amazing month! said van Zandt when receiving the award. "First we won at the Gullrutens, then E Street Band was added to the rock’s Hall of Fame, and now I get this wonderful award in my favourite city. I think I have to stop at the casino on the way out!!"
The series about a mobster relocated to a small Norwegian town was the first original series picked up by US streaming giant Netflix that is now co-producing a third season with NRK. Production wraps at the end of the week for Rubicon and the third season is set to premiere on NRK1 in the autumn 2014.
The other Nordic success story The Bridge picked up Best European TV Drama series (ahead of Downton Abbey) and the series’ leading man Kim Bodnia won Best Actor in a TV drama.
Commenting on the award, DR’s Head of Drama Piv Bernth said: "The series has gone from strength to strength all over the world and has captivated viewers in two riveting seasons. We share our joy with Nimbus Film, Filmlance International and SVT, a collaboration that has now been rewarded, and we look forward to The Bridge’s third season in the fall 2015".
A third season has indeed just been greenlit by the Danish and Swedish partners and viewers will be surprised not to find the character of Martin Rohde (Kim Bodnia) in his now iconic TV partnership with Saga Norén (Sofia Helin). According to main writer and co-creator Hans Rosenfeldt, the third season will tell more about the abrupt hardcore investigator Saga and new characters will be introduced to the series'universe.
At the Monte-Carlo TV Festival, another major award was picked up by Norway’s Moment Films for Twin Sisters, named Best Current Affairs Documentary.