Cannes: The Norwegian documentary directed by Thomas Robsahm with Aslaug Holm for Motlys will tell the full story of the iconic pop band of ‘Take on Me’ fame. A-ha-The Movie currently in production will be presented by First Hand Films and Motlys on Monday May 20 at the Docs-in-progress Norwegian Showcase.

In the early 1980s Morten Harket, Magne Furuholmen and Paul Waaktaar, three boys from Oslo dreamt of making it big on the international music scene. In 1985, they became the first Norwegian band to top the international music charts with the song ‘Take on Me’. Today they are still gathering fans around the world. But did their dream really come true?
Thomas Robsahm, the award-winning director of S.O.S., Modern Slavery (producer as well of Joachim Trier among others) will tell the full story with co-director Aslaug Holm (Brothers) as they’ve followed the band since early 2016 and will continue until early 2020.

“We will tell the whole story, from when two 12-year old friends started their first band together in the seventies, on to A-ha’s massive hit Take on Me in 1985, all the way till now where they are still touring the world selling out arenas,” told Robsahm to nordicfilmandtvnews.com. “It's a film about strong personalities, creating something unique together, but also about how their internal struggles have made it hard to reach their full potential. And, I must add, it's a film about one of the most underrated bands in pop history. I want more people to discover their music!” says Robsahm.

The film produced by Motlys’ Yngve Sæther, is co-financed by TV2 Norway, SVT, Yle, Arte, among others, with support from the Norwegian Film Institute and Nordisk Film & TV Fond.

First Hand Films’ CEO Esther van Messel who came on board two years ago, said she has a long-standing working relationship with Robsahm. “This project is a unique and fascinating portrait of an iconic pop band and we believe it has a huge potential internationally,” said the sales agent who has closed a distribution deal in Germany with Salzgeber & Co. “We will take advantage of Cannes’ Docs in progress platform to push the project with potential buyers", noted van Messel.
The Norwegian release is scheduled for November 2020.

Van Messel and her sales team have several other films in Cannes including the Danish documentaries Dreams from the Outback by Jannik Splidsboel which screened at Vision du Réel, and Humanity on Trial by Jonas Bruun, the Finnish films Who Made You by Iris Härmä, Boys Who Like Girls by Inka Achté, Swiss film Golden Age by Beat Oswald.

The sales executive said she will also look for films to buy in Cannes for Switzerland's First Hand Films Distribution. Last year’s Un Certain Regard entry Mon Tissu préféré by Gaya Jiji opens in Swiss cinemas next month.