This year’s Norwegian event movie set to open the 44th Norwegian International Film Festival in Haugesund on Sunday August 21 is Vibeke Idsøe’s drama The Lion Woman.

The film adapted from Erik Fosne’s eponymous novel was produced by John M. Jacobsen (Filmkameratene) with support among others from Nordisk Film & TV Fond.

“It has been a fantastic story to adapt to cinema, and I'm thankful and proud to have worked with the very best talent in Scandinavia, Ireland and Germany, both in front and behind the camera. It is a Norwegian story that could have taken place anywhere in the world. A story about being different that I think almost everyone will relate to,’ said the director.

Jacobsen added: “I believe that the film has become what we hoped for from the outset: an international blockbuster that grips your emotions and is impressive to watch. This view seems to be widely shared abroad as the film has already secured distribution in more than 40 countries, long before it's finished.” TrustNordisk handle international sales.

The Lion Woman will open nationwide in Norway on August 26. The Norwegian Film Festival will run August 20-26 and New Nordic Films August 23-26, 2016.