Per Fly’s (pictured) political thriller Backstabbing for Beginners based on the eponymous novel by former UN employee and whistle blower Michael Soussan received the largest grant of NOK2.3 million from Nordisk Film & TV Fond as part of its June round of production support.
Backstabbing for Beginners is produced by Lars Knudsen for Creative Alliance. Fly’s first English language project features the UN scandalous ‘oil for food’ programme set up to allow Iraq to sell its oil in return for humanitarian relief. The main character Michael discovers he is part of the biggest corruption scandal in world history and decides to expose it all, risking the fate of the UN, his life, his mentor’s career and love life.
The period drama The Eternal Road by Finnish director Aku Louhimies was granted NOK1.7 million. Based on Antti Tuuri’s best-selling novel, the project is produced by Ilkka Matila (MRP Matila Röhr Productions). The story focuses on an American Finn Jussi Ketola who lives peacefully in a farm in Finland. One night of 1930, right wing thugs abduct him and drive him to Stalin´s Soviet Union. Filming is due to start late November, with the main shooting period booked for February-March 2016 in Estonia. Nordisk Film handles distribution in Scandinavia and Sena in Iceland.
Flickan Mamman och Demonerna (The Girl, The Mother and the Demons) is directed by Swedish writer/director Suzanne Osten. The project produced by Agneta J Bergenstråhle (Fundament Film Stockholm/Lars Pettersson AB) was granted NOK 1.4 million. The thriller for children is about the loyalty a child feels towards a parent, regardless of how that parent is or behaves. Shooting is underway and delivery date is set for February 2016. TriArt handles distribution in Sweden and Øst for Paradis in Denmark.
The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Mäki is the directorial debut of Finnish director Juho Kuosmanen, (The Painting Sellers). The project produced by Jussi Rantamäki (Aamu Filmcompany) was granted NOK900.000. Based on true events that occurred in 1962, it’s the story of Olli Mäki, the first Finn ever to fight for the world championship in boxing. Olli lost the match humiliatingly in the second round by a knock out. Nevertheless, he remembers it as the best day of his life. Filming will start on August 29. Sweden’s Tre Vänner is co-producing with Film i Väst. Plan B will release it in Finland and 41 Shadows in Denmark.
The TV drama Dehli’s vackraste händer directed by Hannes Holm was granted NOK1.750.000. The 3 part mini-series is based on Mikael Bergstrand’s best-selling eponymous novel sold to ten territories. Inspired by the author’s own experience, the film is a humorous take on cultural clashes as we follow a middle-aged Swedish man who falls in love with India. Malte Forsell produces for Anagram Film & TV.
The documentary School of Democracy by Lise Birk-Pedersen (Putin’s Kiss) was granted NOK750.000. Through the portrayal of Beppe Grillo’s Movimento, the film explores the meaning of democracy. Producer Lise-Lense Møller says the feature documentary will be delivered mid-December and the TV version mid-January. Norway’s Piraya, Finland’s Mouka Filmi and Italy’s Citrullo are co-producing.