Jonas Jonasson’s second novel after The 100 Year-Old Man Who Climbed out the Window and Disappeared is to be adapted for world screens by Hollywood-based Icelandic producer Joni Sighvatsson (pictured - Palomar Pictures).
Jonasson’s second novel Analfabeten som kunde räkna (The Illiterate Who Could Count, published in English under the title The Girl Who Saved the King of Sweden) is the story of a South African young girl whose destiny takes her on a picaresque trip from Soweto to international politics.
Sighvatsson, producer of more than 40 films and TV series –from Wild at Heart, K 19 The Widowmaker to Z for Zachariah), and president of Scandinavian distribution group Scanbox, was also executive producer of Felix Herngren’s film version of The 100 Year Old Man. He told nordiskfilmogtvfond.com: “Obviously after The 100 Year-Old Man.., I was a big fan of Jonas' writing, so I anxiously read Analfabeten and just loved it. There were many bidders, but after long discussions, I ended up getting the rights”. “This is a very different story than The 100 year-Old Man, but of course it has Jonas' unique style, and in some ways I think it allows for an easier film adaptation.”
Sighvatsson continues: “Telemunchen in Germany is my partner on this. They had come in early on The 100 Year-Old Man and taken a lot of risk, and of course ended up doing very well [the film sold more than $51 million worldwide and is the highest grossing Swedish film of all time]. “We are finalizing negotiations with a writer right now. Filming will be partially in English as the lead character is South African.”
Sighvatsson who is actively looking for Scandinavian original or literary adaptations for the international market, has also acquired rights to the Icelandic novel I Remember You (Ég man þig) by award-winning crime author Yrsa Sigurðardóttir. The thriller set in Iceland will be directed by Óskar Thór Axelsson (Black’s Game) for Zik Zak Filmworks.