Nordisk Film & TV Fond Prize nominee Nanna Kristin Magnúsdóttir is co-director. 

Top actor Ólafur Darri Ólafsson (Trapped, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald) will play Benedikt Rikhardsson whose unorthodox approach to politics earns him Icelanders’ support and the nation’s leadership as Prime Minister. But Benedict suffers from bipolar disorder and as he progresses into his illness, his team and allies are forced to endanger both the stability of the government and their private lives. Some hide the illness while others abuse it. 

The 8x45’ series is based on an original script by Birkir Blær Ingólfsson, Björg Magnúsdóttir and Jónas Margeir Ingólfsson. Arnór Pálmi Arnarson, showrunner of the comedy series Ligeglad (Edda 2017-Best comedy series) will share the directing credit with well-known actress Nanna Kristin Magnúsdóttir, founding member of Vesturport.

Magnúsdóttir won several international awards as writer/director of the short film Cubs (2016) and co-wrote Sagafilm’s high-end series Stella Blómkvist for which she earned a nomination at the 2018 Nordisk Film & TV Fond Prize for Best Nordic Screenplay. The Minister will be her first major TV drama as director. 

Arnór Pálmi Arnarson said: ““Nanna and I have worked many times together, but this is the first time that we’ll be directing hand in hand. It is fantastic to have Ólafur Darri on board. We are sure he will bring the character to even new levels. There are few actors that can make a character completely their own like Darri.”

Kjartan Thor Thordarson, head of Sagafilm Nordic said his company is currently negotiating international distribution rights for the show.