Exclusive Report: World buyers praise quality pitches by writers/directors.

Among the 24 premium TV dramas presented at the 4th Scandinavian Screening (June 06-08) set to premiere across the Nordics in 2018-2019, (see full line-up here under) many brand new titles pitched created an immediate buzz and want to see among the 100 delegates – including 70 key international buyers.

Four Icelandic projects commissioned by RUV and pitched passionately by their respective creators/producers–Valhalla Murders, Black Port, The Minister, The Independent People, were among the hottest titles.

Other stand-out projects were NRK’s oil epic drama State of Happiness, real life inspired Atlantic Crossing (picked up by Beta Film), Twin starring Kristofer Hivju, DR Drama’s first book adaptation Liberty, SVT’s The Days When the Flowers Bloom, crime/book adaptation Malin Fors and YLE’s Invisible Heroes set against the 1973 Chilean coup.

Lumiere Group’s co-CEO Marike Muselaers said: “There were many projects at Scandinavian Screening I hadn’t heard before so that was exciting. As co-producers/distributors of State of Happiness, we were very pleased to see the pitch. The Icelandic project Black Port (Verbud) had a similar theme in a way [resources and wealth transforming a nation] - but set against the fishing industry so we liked it a lot. Crime and terrorist-related shows from DR and SVT were not for us as we already have several crime shows for 2018 and looking for lighter material for 2019. Otherwise, it was nice to see that DR Sales is stepping up as a major sales agent for Nordic premium shows.”

DR’s Bertel Kaare Shmidt, TV Drama Director of Acquisitions who closed a deal in Reykjavik on the Icelandic series The Minister said: “What I’m looking for is character-driven quality drama and I ask myself do I believe in the people producing it or not? Presentations are important, but unfortunately some Finnish projects for instance were not pitched effectively. Other pitches were excellent and made me curious.“

French TV executive Charlotte Toledano-Detaille of Lagardère Studios said: “The variety of dramas was impressive and the pitches by the writers themselves truly excellent. It was great to come here to have a wide view of what’s coming from the Nordics.“

Scandinavian Screening was organised by RUV, DR Sales, NRK, YLE, in association with Nordic World, TV2, the Icelandic Film Centre, Norwegian Film Institute, Danish Film Institute, and Nordisk Film & TV Fond.

Besides the pitches, around 180 recent Nordic programmes were available for screening on iPads.

Here under is the list of 24 TV drama projects pitched at Scandinavian Screening: 

  • Zombielars Seasons 2-3 (26x15’)
    Produced by Tordenfilm for NRK Super
    Writers: Thomas Seeberg Torjussen, Thorkild Schrumpf
    Directors: Thomas Seeberg Torjussen, Tonje Voreland, Gisle Halvorsen
    Sales: Global Screen
    Status: production in 2018/2019
    The story picks up where season 1 ends. The anti-diversity organisation CAES intensifies its battle against everything strange in the town of Bekkebakken. “The series advocates multiculturalism and tolerance and in our times it feels urgent,” said Torjussen. Season one premieres June 10.
  • One Night /En natt (10x30’)
    Produced by Viafilm for NRK
    Writers: Øystein Karlsen, Kristopher Schau
    Director: Øystein Karlsen
    Cast: MyAnna Buring
    Status: Filming in August 2017
    Delivery end of 2017
    The romantic comedy about two people meeting on a blind date will be told in real time.
  • Homeground/Hjemmebane (10x45’)
    Produced by Motlys, NRK Drama
    Writers: Christian Owe Almerud, Linn Jeanethe Kyed, Erlend Loe
    Director: Arild Andresen
    Cast: Ane Dahl Torp, John Carew
    Status: In production
    Delivery March 2018
    Sales: DR Sales
    Helena is the first ever woman to coach a top division men’s team. In her fight for the club’s survival she must stand her ground against hateful players and abusive fans. It’s a story of loyalty and passion.
     
  • Twin (8x45’)
    Produced by Nordisk Film Production for NRK
    Writers: Kristoffer Metcalfe, Anne Elvedal, Sofia Lersol Lund, Vegard Steiro Amundsen
    Director: Kristoffer Metcalfe
    Cast: Kristoffer Hivju
    Sales: TrustNordisk
    Status: In development
    Erik and Adam are identical twin brothers, living different lives. Erik is a broke surfer bum and Adam, a successful family man and businessman. When Erik seeks out his brother for the first time in 15 years, a quarrel ends with Erik and Adam’s wife, Ingrid, accidentally killing Adam. To avoid getting arrested for murder and to save his brother’s family, Erik takes over Adam's identity.
  • 22 July/22 Juli (7x60’)
    Produced by NRK Drama
    Writers: Sara Johnsen, Pål Sletaune
    Director: Pål Sletaune
    Status: Filming in April 2018
    Delivery fall 2019.
    July 22, 2011. Norway experienced one of its worse terrorist attacks ever. The series deals with the consequences of the acts of terrorist Anders Behring, and how ordinary people were affected by the killings. 'We tell about Norway seen through July 22; it’s about what shapes us as individuals and as a nation,” said Tone Rønning, NRK Commissioning Editor.
  • Atlantic Crossing/Alt for Norge (5x58') 
    Produced by Cinenord for NRK
    Writers: Alexander Eik, Linda May Kallestein, Lars K. Andersen, Michael W. Horsten
    Directed by Alexander Eik
    Cast: TBC
    Sales: Beta Film
    Status: Production in 2018
    The period drama is inspired by the true story - unknown to many - of the romance between Crown Princess Märtha of Norway and US President Franklin D. Roosevelt during WW2. Producer Silje Hopland Eik said: “It’s a story about power, courage, love and one woman’s political awakening against the backdrop of WW2.”
  • Liberty (5x58’)
    Produced by DR Drama
    Writer: Asger Leth based on the book by Jakob Ejersbo
    Director: Mikael Marcimain
    Cast: Sophie Gråbøl, Carsten Bjørnlund, Connie Nielsen.
    Sales: DR Sales
    Status: Filming in South Africa in the fall 2017
    Delivery 2018 
    Set between 1985-1990 in Tanzania, the character-driven drama focuses on two expat families, the Larssons from Sweden and Knudsens from Denmark. Parallel to the adult storyline, we follow the friendship between the rebellious teen Christian Knudsen and his friendship with Marcus, a local Tanzanian working at the Larssons.
  • Once the Dust Settles (10x1h)
    Produced by DR Drama
    Writers: Ida Maria Ryden and Dorte Warnøe Høgh (Dicte)
    Director: TBA
    Status: In development
    The show focuses on a handful of characters before and after a terrorist attack on a Copenhagen restaurant. “Our series is about what happens to ordinary people when they experience a tragedy”, said the co-writers. “The multi-character driven show will follow parallel stories of individuals like in the films Short Cuts or Crash.”
  • State of Happiness/Lykkeland (8x45’)
    Produced by Maipo Film for NRK
    Writers: Mette M. Bølstad (Nobel) 
    Director: Petter Næss
    Status: Filming starts next week
    Delivery in 2018
    1969. Stavanger. The story of Western prosperity, a changing nation with the oil boom, a Klondike town and four young people who are thrown into a whirlwind of opportunities. “The series will show how political decisions can change the world and how populations feel alienated. But it’s up to us to choose who to put in power, and we citizens are the power” said producer Synnøve Hørsdal.
  • Malin Fors (10x44’ or 5x90’)
    Produced by Unlimited Stories, Nordic Fiction for TV4
    Writer: Anders Sparring
    Director TBA
    Sales: DR Sales
    Status: In development
    Based on Mons Kallentoft’s best selling books about murder investigator Malin Fors, a woman also locked in her inner conflict.
  • Caliphate (8x45’)
    Produced by Filmlance for SVT
    Writers: Wilhelm Behrman, Niklas Rockström
    Director TBA
    Status: in development
    Religious fundamentalism sweeps into a community through the bedroom of a young Swedish girl. An officer must single-handedly put a stop to a Islamic terrorist plot against Sweden, but nobody listens to her warnings.
  • Silent Soldier/Samuelin sota (6x50’)
    Produced by Production House Finland for YLE
    Writer: Raija Talvio
    Director: Taru Mäkelä
    Based on real events. In 1942, Finland is an ally to Germany against the Soviet Union. Samuel Adler, a young Jew is serving as an intelligence officer in the headquarters of the Finnish military. The series deals with loyalty on a personal and political level. 
  • The Peacemaker/Rauhantekjät (10x50’)
    Produced by MRP Matila Röhr Productions for YLE
    Writer: Erikka Etholén
    Director: TBA
    Status: In development 
    The drama series follows a team of peacemakers who are sent to resolve international conflicts but must face even scarier opponents: their own unresolved pasts. Inspired by former president and Nobel Prize laureate Martti Ahtisaari. 
  • Deadwind/Karppi (12x50’)
    Produced by Dionysos Films for YLE
    Writers: Rike Jokela, Kirsi Porkka and Jari-Olavi Rantala
    Director: Rike Jokela
    Cast: Pihla Viitala, Lauri Tilkanen, Tommi Korpela
    Sales: About Premium Content
    Status: in production
    Delivery Spring 2018
    The Nordic noir combines the murder investigation of a young woman with the personal drama of the main character – Detective Sofia Karppi, who has just lost her husband and has been left alone with two children to care for.
  • Blind Donna/Donna (10x25’)
    Produced by Production House for YLE
    Writers: Mikko Reitala, Heikki Kujanpää
    Director: Heikki Kujanpää
    Cast: Alina Tomnikov, Essi Hellén, Eero Ritala, Miina Penttinen
    Sales: YLE Sales
    Status: Currently filming 
    Delivery 2018
    In this unconventional romantic comedy, the main character Donna (27), in search of love, is blind. 
  • The Days When the Flowers Bloom (3x58’)
    Produced by SVT Drama
    Writer: Jonas Gardell
    Director: Simon Kaijser
    Status: Filming in January 2018
    Delivery late 2018 
    By the creators of Don’t Ever Wipe Tears Without Gloves. The show follows childhood friends and their families through the 70’s to today, through love, loss and shattering events like the sinking of the ship Estonia. “It will be dark, but not without hope, funny but not a comedy,” said Kaijser. 
  • Invisible Heroes/Näkymättömät sankarit (6x55’)
    Produced for YLE
    Writer: Tarja Kylmä
    Directors TBA
    Cast: Laura Birn, Pelle Heikkilä, Antti Mikkola
    Status: pre-production.
    Filming in 2018
    Premiere March 2019
    Sales: YLE Sales
    Based on true events, the drama is set against the backdrop of the Chilean coup in September 1973. Tapani Brotherus, a Finnish diplomat in Santiago de Chile saves the lives of 2,500 Chileans fighting General Augusto Pinochet. 
  • Cargo/Rahti (8x55’)
    Produced by Fremantle Media
    Writer Matti Kinnunen, Veikko Aaltonen
    Director: Matti Kinnunen
    Cast: Laura Birn
    The suspense social drama deals with human trafficking when a young Eritrean woman forced to leave her native country and smuggled into Finland. 
  • Hooked season 2/Koukussa 2 (8x50’)
    Produced by Moskito TV for YLE
    Writer: Laura Suhonen
    Director: Marja Pyykkö
    Sales YLE Sales
    Status: currently filming
    Ready in the fall 2018
    The story picks up three years after Season 1 ends. Oskari has had to resign from police forces but still works as an informant. 
  • Paradise/Paratiisi (8x55’)
    Produced by YLE and Mediapro Spain
    Writer: Matti Laine
    Status: in production in 2018
    Crime investigator Hilkka Mäntymäki starts a new life in Spain, Fuengirola when 16,000 Finns have a home. But even under the Spanish sun, criminals lurk.
  • The Valhalla Murders (8x50’)
    Produced by Truenorth for RUV
    Writers: Margret Ornolfsdottir, Ottar Nordfjord
    Director: Thordur Palsson
    Cast: Nína Dögg Filippusdóttir
    Status: Filming in the fall 2017
    Delivery fall 2018
    Sales: DR Sales
    Police officers Kata and Arnar investigate Iceland’s first serial killing. The unlikely cop duo discovers that the murders are connected to a 35 -year old case set in Valhalla, a former home for troubled young boys.
  • Black Port/Verbud (8x45’)
    Produced by Vesturport for RUV
    Writer: Mikael Torfason
    Cast: Gísli Orn Garðarsson
    Status: In development
    Colombia has cocaine, Africa has gold, Iceland has fish! Resources are owned by a handful of people in each country. Based on true events, the show exposes viewers to the complex world surrounding the Icelandic Fishing Quota based on greed and corruption, through the story of three couples, from 1983 until 1991. “We’ve been working seven years on this story, and now we have a solid script,” said Gísli Orn Garðarsson. “It’s a very important story for us Icelanders." 
  • The Minister/Radherrann (8x55’)
    Produced by Sagafilm for RUV
    Writers Björg Magnusdóttir, Jónas Margeir Ingólfsson, Birkir Blær Ingólfsson
    Director Þorleif Örn Arnarsson
    Sales: DR Sales
    Status: pre-production. Delivery fall 2018
    Benedikt becomes Prime Minister after an unorthodox approach to politics earns him the nation’s support. But when it is discovered that Benedikt suffers from bipolar disorder, his team and allies are forced to endanger the stability of the government and their private lives to hide the truth. “The series asks questions such as how can a nation that votes in an ill person, be healthy? The Minister was four years in development. We dived into Iceland’s political history and were inspired by authors Gunnar Gunnarsson, Halldór Laxness,” said Björg Magnusdóttir. 
  • Independent People (6-8x55’)
    Produced by RVK Studios for RUV
    Writer: Baltasar Kormákur
    Director: Baltasar Kormákur
    Cast: Ingvar E. Sigurdsson
    Status: in development
    The drama series is based on Nobel Laureate Halldór Laxness’s literary gem Independent People (1934) that became a manifesto for Icelanders, trying to break free from century-long Danish domination, which they achieved in 1944. The story depicts the harsh battle of wills between ordinary sheep farmer Bjartur and his spirited daughter Asta. “This story of hardship, stubbornness and broken dreams is universal and speaks to everyone, not only Icelanders,” said Kormákur.