EXCLUSIVE – Fast-growing Danish production outfit Good Company is in Cannes with several major book-to-screen adaptations for film and TV and original content by rising talents.

Since its launch in September 2014, the company headed by former Yellow Bird founder Ole Søndberg and CEO Anni Fernandez, (pictured) film mogul Vibeke Windeløv and producer Stinna Lassen has set in motion no less than nine projects for theatrical, prime time TV and online distribution. “Our line up is a mix of talent-driven low budget films and online content, commercial features and locally-oriented TV drama with an international appeal,” says Anni Fernandez to nordicfilmandtvnews.com. 

In Cannes the Good Co team is focusing on the DKK33m (around €4.4m) fantasy family film Wild Witch by Kaspar Munk (You & Me Forever, Follow the Money). The film is written by Bo Hr Hansen (Speed Walking) based on Lene Kaaberbøl’s best-selling book series Vild heks. The main character -12- year old Clara suddenly realizes she has special powers, including the ability to communicate with animals. The project co-produced by Sweden’s Yellow Bird and Hungary’s Proton will be partly shot in Hungary from February 2017. Co-financiers on board so far include Nordisk Film and TV2, with development support from the Danish Film Institute. 

- The Charmer is the feature debut of Iranian-born Milad Alami whose short film VOID screened at the Directors’ Fortnight 2014. The thriller about a mysterious man who uses his charm and exotic features to climb the social ladder is set to start filming in August. 

The Charmer received funding from the DFI’s New Danish Screen, alongside the stylized historical drama Christian by newcomer Kasper Skovsbøl, about the last 24 hours in the life of Danish king Christian IV. 

Three prime time TV dramas are in development. 

- Wisting is a high profile Nordic noir based on the books by former Norwegian police officer turned crime writer Jørn Lier Horst. 

“Horst is probably the second biggest crime novelist in Norway after Jo Nesbø, notes Fernandez. The character-driven series set in the Southern part of Norway near Larvik, follows the investigations of detective William Wisting. 

The series is co-produced by Cinenord in Norway. 

- Game is a fast paced action thriller based on a trilogy by Swedish author Anders de la Motte. The key characters, a brother and a sister become entangled in an online game that forces them to confront their past. The series explores very topical themes such as data manipulation and political conspiracy. Game will be shot in and around Stockholm, in the Swedish and English languages. 

- Midnights based on an original idea by creator Anna Reeves, is a political drama about the emerging cold war in the Arctic region. The main protagonists are Nordic immortals who discover they are dying. Nevision has boarded the project as UK co-producer and Paris-based APC (About Premium Content) is handling international distribution. 

Also on the Good Co’s line up are the animated horror feature for kids Bente and the Mutant Scouts by Tor Fruergaard (recipient of a Nordic Genre Boost grant), the web series about online dating Yes No Maybe (8x8’) created by Mads Rosenkrantz Grage, and 6X30’ comedy show Klaes the Roommate produced for TV2.