As expected last weekend The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 stormed at number one across the Nordic region, pushing down the other US offerings Dumb and Dumber 2 and Interstellar. However several local family films and comedies - many with Christmas themes - proved popular alternatives, plus the latest Roy Andersson, Bille August, Dome Karukoski and Mikkel Nørgaard.
In Denmark Bille August’s Silent Heart (FC/SF) came in at number 3, losing only 13% of its audience in its second weekend. Total admissions from 115 screens have reached 111,651. The Christmas family film Familien Jul by Carsten Rudolf opened at number four for Angel Film, backed by excellent reviews. The film sold 30,079 tickets from 30 screens.
In its eight week Mikkel Nørgaard’s The Absent One (Nordisk Film) took the seventh place at the Top 10 and confirmed its title as best-selling film of the year with a total of 739,687 admissions, beating the first instalment in the Department Q series The Keeper of Lost Causes (725,000 admissions in 2013). Regner Grasten’s family franchise about the Crumbs family – Crumbs-All at Stake (UIP/RG) was number 10 in its 8th week, selling an extra 2,121 tickets to reach 222,532.
In Finland, the long runner The Grump by Dome Karukoski (Nordisk Film) took the fourth place after the three US blockbusters aforementioned, after 3 months on national screens. The comedy drama has sold a staggering 414,740 tickets so far and dropped only by 4% week on week. Three other local films under Nordisk Film banner were in the Top 10: Moomins on the Riviera was number five in its seventh week (161,079 admissions), followed by Adventure Abroad by Taavi Vartia (35,247 admissions in four weeks). The comedy Raspberry Boat Refugee came in at number 10 after eight weeks (104,790 total admissions).
In Iceland the new instalment in the Sveppi comedy series The Biggest Rescue (Samfilm) is scoring again with local crowds. The film kept its fourth place at the Top 10 and so far 30,386 people have seen the film written, directed, produced by Bragi Þór Hinriksson. Another local comedy The Grandad by Bjarni Haukur Þórsson (Samfilm) played at number 11. Total admissions after 9 weeks are 14,764. The chiller Graves & Bones (Sena) was number 14, selling 3,536 tickets in 4 weeks, and City State 2: Brave Men’s Blood (Myndform) number 16 after 6 weeks. Total admissions have reached 11,000 for Olaf de Fleur’s movie.
In Norway the third instalment in the pre-school film franchise Casper and Emma’s Christmas (Karsten og Petras Juleferie) is another successful collaboration for Cinenord and SF. In its third weekend the film kept its second place, beating Interstellar and Dumb and Dumber 2. Total tickets sold have reached 201,745. Another children’s film, Operation Arctic (Nordisk Film) just dropped one place from number 4 to 5 in its 6th weekend. Total admissions are 227,110. Roy Andersson’s award-winning A Pigeon Sat on a Branch reflecting on Existence opened at number 8 for SF, and sold nearly 3,000 tickets from 25 screens. The family adventure film Captain Sabertooth and the Lama Rama Treasure (Walt Disney Nordic) sold an extra 3,96 tickets in its 9th weekend, pushing admissions up to nearly 360,000, making it the third most successful film of the year after the other two Norwegian titles Doctor Proctor’s Fart Powder and Børning.
In Sweden the family film The Wizard’s Daughter (pictured - Tjuvarnas jul-Trollkarlens dotter) based on SVT’s popular 2011 Christmas calendar series scored with local audiences and critics and took the fourth place behind the three US tentpoles. After 2 weekends 63,962 people have seen the Yellow Bird production released by Nordisk Film. Just under at number five, Roy Andersson’s A Pigeon Sat on a Branch (TriArt) sold an extra 9.800 tickets in its third week, pushing total numbers to 41,715. At number 6, SF’s children’s franchise Jerry Maya’s Detective Agency 2-Shadows of Valleby is still playing strongly after 6 weeks on screens. Total head counts are 254,553.
The animation film Flyg! Sa Alfons Åberg stayed at number 8 for Folkets Bio after 2 weekends on screen. Over 11,000 small kids and their parents have seen the 40 minute three part movie. Ella Lemhagen’s book to screen adaptation The Boy with the Golden Pants attracted another 4,628 people in its 9th week on screens. Total admissions are now at 188,343 for Nordisk Film.
Sources: FAFID, FRISK, Filmikamari, Norkse Filmbyråers Forening, Filmweb.no, Filmägarnas Kontrollbyrå,