The Swedish/French thriller series premieres on SVT on Sunday and will then open in another dozen countries.

Yesterday at MIPCOM in Cannes Studiocanal announced a dozen territory sales on the 8x1h series created by Måns Mårlind & Björn Stein (Bron/Broen), based on an idea by Henrik Jansson-Schweizer and Patrick Nebout.

After SVT, Canal+ will air it later this year under its Creation Original brand. Other broadcasters that secured rights comprise NRK in Norway, DR in Denmark, RUV in Iceland, MTV3 in Finland, ZDF in Germany, SBS in Australia, HOT in Israel, VRT in Belgium, and Lumière in Benelux.

Katrina Neylon, EVP Sales and Marketing at Studiocanal said: “Midnight Sun is a beautifully shot, absorbing drama series which also raises real and current issues such as racism and damage to our environment. The series has hit a nerve with buyers internationally already ahead of its premiere, appealing to both Free and Pay TV networks and we’re in advanced negotiations to close additional sales in the coming months.”

Neylon attended a Midnight Sun/Studiocanal press conference in Cannes yesterday  alongside Swedish producer Stefan Baron (Nice Drama), French co-producer Olivier Bibas (Atlantique Productions), co-stars Leila Bekhti, Gustaf Hammarsten, Sofia Jannok, and co-writers/directors Mårlind & Stein. 

In the series Bekhti plays Kahina Zadi a French police officer sent to Kiruna to investigate a brutal murder of a French citizen. With the help of Anders Harnesk (Gustaf Hammarsten), a Swedish DA and a member of the Sami community, they are faced with new killings and the initial murder turns out to be the tip of the iceberg.

At the press conference, Mårlind said that beyond the murder mystery, the show is about intolerance and racism in Europe. “We decided to create a microcosm using the Sami minority issue in Sweden and underlying racism to tell something about Europe today.” Bekhti said: “The co-directors were smart to raise the subject of differences by introducing us to a minority little known even by other minorities.”

Her screen partner Hammarsten said:” As a Swede, I’m ashamed because before making the show I knew more about native Americans in the US than about Sami people. In Midnight Sun, my character hasn’t yet acknowledged his Sami background and goes through a personal journey.” 

Swedish/Sami singer Jannok who makes her screen debut in Midnight Sun as a Sami shaman added: “the co-directors did a good research on the Sami people and give a good picture of life within our community. Sami people are not mentioned in Swedish history books and rarely mentioned in the media. It was important to be featured in a TV show and to feel included.” 

WATCH OUT FOR OUR IN-DEPTH INTERVIEW WITH MÅNS MÅRLIND-BJÖRN STEIN PUBLISHED ON FRIDAY.