The sci-fi series was granted nearly €1 million (NOK 9.5m) in production support from the Norwegian Film Institute (NFI).

The NOK 69m (€7m) project Beforeigners (working title Fremvandrerne) reunites some of Norway’s top talents: director Jens Lien (The Bothersome Man, Viva Hate) and Lilyhammer’s writing duo Anne Bjørnstad and Eilif Skodvin.

Two individuals, part of a group of people from the past who seek refuge in our time, arrive in Oslo under mysterious circumstances. Seven years later, the local community is totally transformed by the so-called refugees.

Silje Riise Næss, feature film and drama commissioner at The Norwegian Film Institute (NFI), said the project is an “incredibly original, smart, entertaining and thought-provoking satirical sci-fi series.”

Last February, the 8x45’ drama project produced by Rubicon TV’s Jan-Erik Gammleng, received another NFI grant of more than NOK 4m in production incentive to secure the filming in Norway.

Three other brand new Norwegian series and two returning hit shows received NFI production support.

• The NOK 56m (€5.8m) Kieler Street (Kielergata) produced by Anagram Norway for TV2 Norway is co-written by The Oil Fund’s Jesper Sundnes, Stig Frode Henriksen with director Patrik Syversen (Manhunt, Hellfjord).
  
  Thorbjørn Harr plays Jonas, a former criminal who has assumed a new identity and lives in Scandinavia’s least criminal town, but the façade starts falling apart when he realises that several other inhabitants have hidden identities. Co-stars include Anneke von der Lippe (Eyewitness), Nicolai Cleve Broch (Acquitted), and Johan Rheborg (Solsidan). The 10x45’ drama thriller is represented worldwide by ITV Studios. 

• The NOK 24m (€2.5m) youth-oriented female drama Skitten snø (WT Tainted) is produced by Miso Film Norway for NRK. Author/journalist Mahmona Khan is adapting her eponymous critically-acclaimed novel for television and has teamed up with co-creator Gry Stømme, an Oxford University graduate in creative writing. Katarina Launing (Wisting, Battle) directs.
  
  Set in Oslo’s multi-cultural community, the youth-oriented series deals with sexual abuse, fear, honour, loyalty and girl power. Producer Cecilie Aspenes said she will start to pitch the project to Nordic potential partners. 
• The Sami community-based Sööfe (NOK 3.9m) is directed by TMM Production’s Bjørn Tore Hallem, in collaboration with Stein Løvø for NRK Super. The coming of age TV drama centres on Sööfe (11) a young girl of mixed Sami and Norwegian origin in search of her own identity. 

The returning seasons backed by the NFI are: 

• The NOK 76m (€7.9m) series Home Ground (Heimebane) season 2 produced by Motlys Film for NRK, stars again Ane Dahl Torp as football coach Helena Mikkelsen, trying to assert her position in a macho football environment. Yngve Sve Flikke and Stian Kristiansen co-direct. 
• The NOK 83m (€8.6m) futuristic political thriller Occupied season 3 produced by Yellow Bird Norge, is co-directed by creator Erik Skjolbjærg, with Eva Sørhaug and Charlotte Brändström. The third season explores Norway, seemingly liberated from Russian rule, plagued by national conflicts and on the verge of a civil war.