November 5, 2013
Miso Film Norway’s NOK65 million TV show Acquitted (Frikjent) produced for TV2 was granted NOK10 million from the Norwegian Film Institute. The 10x45’ show is based on an original idea by Siv Rajendram Eliassen (Varg Veum) and Anna Bache-Wiig. It’s the story of a successful businessman who goes back to his native town that he left 20 years earlier after having been accused and then acquitted of the murder of his high school sweetheart. His journey back takes him on a long road towards redemption and reconciliation.
NFI Feature Film Commissioner Lars Gudmestad says Eliassen’s experience in TV drama and her partnership with actress and novelist Bache-Wiig should contribute to raise the level of Norwegian TV drama and TV2’s ambition to challenge NRK with a quality and commercially-oriented show is ‘very healthy for the Norwegian TV drama environment’. Petter Næss (pictured) is concept director of the first four episodes and filming is set to start on February 24, 2014.
The NFI also supported Margreth Olin’s contribution to the TV series Cathedrals of Culture, also directed by Wim Wenders, Robert Redford, Karim Ainouz, Michael Madsen and Michael Glawogger, the documentary series Her jeg og sånn er det (Bivrost Film & TV) and the TV show for kids Laara & Leisa.