Pyromaniac (Pyromanen) produced by Edward A. Dreyer for Norway’s Pravda Film was granted NOK 1.6 million towards its NOK 29 million budget. Co-production partners are Sweden’s Bleck Film and Denmark’s Nimbus Film.
The latest film from the director of Pioneer is based on Gaute Heivoll’s 2010 best-selling novel Before I Burn, itself based on true events that unfolded in 1978, when Norway was shaken by the biggest arson case in its history. Scriptwriter Bjørn Olaf Johannessen (Everything Will Be Fine) has written the story of a small community shaken by a series of fires ignited by a pyromaniac who turns out to be the village fireman. Production is set to start in April 2015. Nordisk Film will handle domestic distribution and TrustNordisk world sales.
The Lion Woman (Løvekvinnen) was granted NOK 2.3 million towards its NOK 61 million budget. The Norwegian project is produced by Filmkameratene in co-production with Germany’s Gifted Films West, Sweden’s Tre Vänner and Denmark’s Zentropa. The film based on Erik Fosnes Hansen’s eponymous novel follows the extraordinary life of a girl, born with hair all over her body, and her encounter with the outside world as she struggles to overcome people’s prejudice. Cast and crew will be announced shortly and filming is set to start in February. SF handles domestic distribution.
A Man Called Ove produced by Sweden’s Tre Vänner was granted NOK 2 million. Based on Fredrik Backman’s best-selling novel, the feel-good comedy focuses on a grumpy old man forced to look on the bright side of life when a new family moves in next door. Rolf Lassgård plays the lead in the Hannes Holm film set to open late 2015. Nordisk Film handles distribution and TrustNordisk world sales.
The animation film Get Santa produced by Denmark’s Copenhagen Bombay in co-production with its Swedish division was granted NOK 1,250,000. Jacob Back Ley’s debut feature tells of a little boy, Julius, who lives in an orphanage. He is transported to a magical universe where he pretends to be a missing Santa to help save the Christmas spirit. Copenhagen Bombay will handle domestic and world distribution. Delivery is set for November 2016.
The documentary Ingrid Bergman-In Her Own Words by Stig Björkman (Images from the Playground) was granted NOK 700.00. Mantaray Film is producing in co-production with Jonas Gardell Produktion, ZDF/Arte, SVT among others. Delivery is set for August 2015. TrustNordisk handles world sales.
The Fund also awarded a total of NOK 7,460,000 for the distribution of seven feature films in neighboring Nordic territories and NOK 80,000 to the cultural initiative Impact Producer Lab organized by the BRITDOC Foundation.