The 8x15’ series Kurs i självutplåning (lit ‘Course in self-annihilation’) is based on the eponymous graphic novel by Henrik Bromander, adapted for television by Joakim Granberg and Isabella Rodriguez from the Swedish humour collective Bauta. The series centres on Maria who enrols in a clown course summer camp, in the hope of finding herself and new friends. Instead, she is subjected to bullying and decides to fight back with the help of her best friend Tore.

In the main roles are rising stand-up comedians Evelyn Mok (who had her breakthrough in the UK fringe theatre and appeared on BBC Comedy Central among others) and Jonatan Unge.

Stockholm-based French Quarter’s co-founder Mathilde Dedye told nordicfilmandtvnews.com: “I’m thrilled to kick-start our TV drama activities with this show. It will be bold and funny. Isabella Rodriguez who joined our company in 2015 as producer, has co- developed the comedy show for us and will direct it.”

Other comedians from Bautagänget (the Bauta comedy group) will co-star, alongside Karin Franz Körlof (The Wife, A Serious Game), and Pelle Hanaeus (Anna Holt). Cinematographer Kristoffer Jönsson (2018 Guldbagge winner for Garden Lane) is also attached to the series, which just finished shooting. 

Kurs i självutplåning is co-produced by SVT, Film Capital Stockholm and Film i Dalarna. The premiere on SVT Play is scheduled for this fall.

Dedye says the series will expand in the long form what Stockholm-based French Quarter has delivered so far in the feature format: edgy and bold content - fiction and non-fiction - for a wide audience. “I’m not afraid of doing things differently, of jumping on a project without knowing the answer,” admits the French-born producer who set up her company in 2011 with director Mattias Sandström.

With films including Anna Odell’s The Reunion, Lina Mannheimer’s The Ceremony and Mating, Levan Akin’s And Then We Danced, French Quarter has indeed succeeded in establishing its reputation in Sweden as a creative hub for innovative low budget content with international potential. Following its strong launch at the Directors Fortnight in Cannes, the buzzed about And Then We Danced was sold by Paris-based Totem Films to key territories including Spain (Avalon) and Japan (Fine Films). TriArt will release it in Sweden on September 13, then Arthaus will distribute it in Norway and Reel Pictures in Denmark.

Dedye is already working with Akin on a follow up to And Then We Danced, to be shot in Turkey, and on a TV docu series version of Mannheimer’s Mating, nominated for a Dragon Award-Best Documentary in Göteborg and for the Nordic: Dox Award at CPH:DOX. The documentary about online dating and finding love will air on SVT, NRK, DR and Yle.