The four-part Nordic noir and murder mystery series from Iceland, The Flatey Enigma, will also have its international premiere at Content London November 27.

Loosely based on Viktor Arnar Ingólfsson’s best-selling eponymous crime novel and set in 1971, the series follows Johanna, a strong-willed professor of Nordic Studies, who returns home to Iceland from Paris for her father’s funeral. Johanna seizes a chance to conclude her father’s work by solving a riddle buried in an ancient manuscript, The Book of Flatey, even moving to the isolated island of Flatey to immerse herself in her work. However soon after her arrival, events take a dramatic turn as Johanna is accused of a murder. She tries to clear her name and at the same time, she has to face a man she had left ten years earlier.

The series is produced by Sagafilm for RUV, in co-production with Björnsson’s Reykjavik Films, in association with DR, SVT, YLE and NRK, support from the Icelandic Film Centre, Creative Europe and Nordisk Film & TV Fond. Sky Vision handles world distribution outside the Nordics and Benelux. 

How did you get involved in the series?
Björn B. Björnsson: I optioned the rights of Viktor Arnar Ingólfsson’s novel back in 2009. After two years of initial concept development, we decided that the screen adaptation needed a drastic change, and introduced a female character as main protagonist. Margret Örnólfsdóttir [Prisoners], one of Iceland’s top screenwriters, joined me in 2012. She wrote the entire mini-series. We took our time to find the right tone and structure.

Why did you change from a male to a female main character?
BB: We felt that for the screen adaptation we needed a more complex main protagonist, with personal issues, whose personal journey would be linked to the Norse sagas and the search for the truth. Margret developed that new female-lead plot line. In the original book, the main character Kjartan is more one-dimensional, a simple magistrate, investigating a murder case. 

What is the full structure now and the core of the series?
BB: There are three main threads: the murder investigation that unfolds in the Nordic noir tradition, the mystical Flatey Enigma and search for the centuries old riddle, reminiscent of the Da Vinci Code, and the story of Johanna, a modern woman at a crucial time in women’s fight for equal rights. She had left Iceland for Paris, where women’s liberation movement was at its heyday. When she goes back home, her views clash with the small-minded community at Flatey island, stuck in its tradition and past. “The story of a woman fighting for gender equality is very timely. The series has a tight plot, but it’s not fast paced".

How did the author react to your screen version?
BB: He was totally fine. I know him well, having used another of his books for my previous series I Hunt Men (Mannaveiðar). He said I could go ahead with my own interpretation and he’ll watch it on TV. It’s a healthy attitude.

How challenging was it to recreate the 1970s?
BB: It was a big thing. The visual style was key. We had a wonderful DoP, G Magni Ágústsson [Doctor Who, Paris of the North]. We had worked together on commercials before. Now he’s based in L.A. We used steady frames, filters. The production designer Eggert Ketilsson who was art director on Dunkirk, also did a great job. Then our costume designer Margrét Einarsdóttir is as accomplished. She worked on RAMS and Paul Greengrass’ 22 July among others. We shot for 30 days in total, in the small remote island of Flatey.

Was Lára Jóhanna Jónsdóttir an obvious choice for the main role of Johanna?
BB: I cast around 30 actresses for the part. She was simply the best, with her wide emotional range, especially her gaze. This is her first major role.

How was your relationship with RUV?
BB: They were very supportive throughout the filmmaking process, as well as all Nordic TV stations. We had a substantial budget - €1m per episode - which is high for an Icelandic series. That helped us with the period setting and to go all the way with our vision.

What’s your next project?
BB: I’ve been working quite a while on the feature project 800, an epic movie about the first Icelanders, with Irish monks and Vikings. Sagafilm is attached as producer.