US/Polish co-production Maya Dardel will make its market premiere at Haugesund’s New Nordic Films (August 22-25).

The English language film is the directorial debut of US poet/novelist Zachary Cotler who teamed up with Polish born US based writer/director Magdalena Zyzak. Producers are Mike S. Ryan, Morgan Jon Fox, Dariusz Jabłoński, Violetta Kamińska and Izabela Wójcik for The Winter Film Company, Message Film and Greyshack Films. The Yellow Affair has all rights outside North America and South America.

The film focuses on Maya Dardel, an internationally respected poet and novelist, living in the Santa Cruz Mountains of California. One day she announces on the radio that she intends to end her life and that young male writers may compete to become the executor of her estate. They are challenged intellectually, emotionally and erotically, until one of them begins to fathom Maya’s end game.

Hollywood based Swedish actress Lena Olin just picked up Best Actress for her role as Maya Dardel, while Cotler and Wójcik shared a Best Screenplay award at the recent Prague Independent Film Festival. Other cast members include Rosanna Arquette (Desperately Seeking Susan), Joardan Gavaris (The Sea of Trees, Orphan Black), Nathan Keyes (Britney Ever After) and Alexander Koch (Always Shine).

The film first screened at this year’s SXSW in Austin where it was picked up for US distribution by Samuel Goldwyn and Orion Pictures. The U.S. release is set for November 2017.

Chris Howard of The Yellow Affair said: “We’re thrilled to have picked up a film of such high artistic integrity, with an outstanding performance from Lena Olin and Rosanna Arquette, and a thought-provoking and engaging storyline.”

“We believe the film can appeal to audiences all over the world," noted Howard, who stressed his company’s strategy to add two-three cast-driven ‘bigger’ English language films to their predominantly medium range Scandinavian slate, to stay afloat in a tough arthouse market.

The Scandinavian sales company headed by Miira Paasilinna will also bring to next week’s Norwegian Film Festival in Haugesund the Swedish drama Garden Lane, selected for the festival’s Nordic Focus. The film directed by Olof Spaak stars Karin Franz Körlof (A Serious Game) as well as Simon J Berger, Emil Algpeus and Nike Ringqvist. The story of two children who grow up with drug abusing parents, was well received at the last Giffoni Film Festival in Italy where it won a Gryphon award for Best Film.