Nordisk Film & TV Fond just granted production support to the film Swoon, documentary The Vasulka Effect, TV series Warrior, Liberty and Archipellina and the Chalk Crystal.

  • Swoon (Eld och Lågor) produced by Kristina Åberg of Atmo Rights in Sweden was granted NOK 2.7 million. After their successful crime TV show Midnight Sun, filmmaking/writing talents Mårlind and Stein will bring to the silver screen a Swedish Romeo and Juliette love story inspired by the true story of Stockholm’s Gröna Lund amusement park. John and Ninni -  both heirs to their own individual amusement parks, fall in love amidst the whirling world they both inhabit. A forbidden love, a war between two families, puts their love and loyalty to the test.

    Åberg told nordicfilmandtvnews.com: “Måns and Björn contacted me four years ago with this wonderful idea. And for me there was only one answer YES! Let’s make a film together.” The €4.5m film received co-financing from Filmregion Stockholm-Mälardalen, Nordsvensk Filmunderhållning, Chimney Pot, Dagsljus, Parks & Resorts, TV4 and support from the Swedish Film Institute. Nordisk Film handles Scandinavian distribution and TrustNordisk world sales.

    Top cast and crew names will be announced late August, just prior to the start of principal photography.
  • The Vasulka Effect (Vasulka Áhrinfin) produced by Margret Jonasdóttir of Sagafilm was granted NOK 400,000. Director Hrafnhildur Gunnarsdottir focuses on video art pioneers Steina and Woody Vasulka, grandparents of the “YouTube” generation, struggling in their retirement years as they are archiving their work. By a fluke they are rediscovered by the art world and are now in huge demand.

    Jonasdóttir said: “Steina and Woody have collaborated with people such as Andy Warhol and his superstar Jackie Curtis, with Philip Glass, Laurie Andersson, Jimi Hendrix, David Byrne and many other world renowned artists, and having kept their archives from their early days, we have a lot of unseen material to play in this film.”

    The Icelandic documentary is co-produced by Sweden’s Simon Klose, Denmark’s Vibeke Vogel and the Czech Republic’s Radim Prochazka, with co-financing from RUV, SVT, DR, support from the Icelandic Film Fund and the Czech Film Fund among others. The film will enter its main shooting schedule soon and delivery is set for early 2019.
  • Warrior produced by Peter Bose and Jonas Allen of Miso Film was granted NOK 3 million. The 6x48' Danish crime show is directed by Christoffer Boe who co-wrote the script with Simon Paternak, his collaborator on Spies & Glistrup (Sex, Drugs & Taxation). The series is a modern-day character-driven crime drama about strong human bonds, loyalty and treachery among army veterans, gang members and police detectives, intertwined with a love story between the former soldier CC (Dar Salim) and policewoman Louise (Danica Ćurčić). Other cast members include Lars Ranthe, Nicolas Bro, Søren Malling, Jacob Oftebro and Natalie Madueño.

    The show produced for TV2 with support from the Danish Film Institute is currently filming. Delivery is set for the fall 2018. FreemantleMedia International handles sales.
  • Liberty produced by Karoline Leth of DR Drama was granted NOK 1.350.000. The 5x58’ drama series is based on Jacob Ejersbo’s major Danish literary work of the same name. Asger Leth (Ghosts of Cité Soleil) is creator and head writer. It’s a portrait of foreign aid emissaries whose idealism clash with cultural differences and local resistance. In the main roles are Sofie Gråbøl, Carsten Bjørnlund, Connie Nielsen, Anton Hjejle, Magnus Krepper and Kenyan presenter/actor Charles Karumi. Mikael Marcimain (Call Girl) directs all episodes.Filming has started in South Africa. DR1 will air the premium show in 2018. DR Sales handle sales.
  • Archipellina and the Chalk Crystal (Arkipellina och kalkkristallen) produced by Mats Långbacka of Långfilm Productions Finland was granted NOK 500,000. The 13x7’ animated series for kids (3-8) is directed by Antonia Ringbom. In the fantasy world of Archipellina island, the characters Krä and Neppa encounter silly and dangerous adventures and come up with creative, ecological solutions. Pre-production starts in August and production in the fall. The series is co-financed by Svenska YLE, NRK, SVT, Tekes among others. YLE Sales handles world sales.


Other grants allocated in June are the following: 

  • NOK 130,000 in Distribution support to Cinema Mondo, Finland for the theatrical release of the Swedish film Sami Blood 
  • NOK 600,000 in slate distribution to Norway’s Arthaus for ‘The Nordic Arthouse project’. Films part of the slate are The Other Side of Hope, The Square and Invasion (TBC) 
  • NOK 300,000 in dubbing to Oy Filmkompaniet Alpha for the animated film Moomins and the Winter Wonderland into Swedish, Danish and Sami
  • NOK 300,000 for the cultural initiative ‘Nordisk Panorama Forum & Market 2017’, organised by Filmkontakt Nord 
  • NOK 50,000 for the cultural initiative ‘Copenhagen TV Series Masterclasses’ organised by Copenhagen TV Festival.