Art & Bob to adapt Katarina Wennstam crime books for TV

The 8x45’ crime procedural Justitia is based on the best-selling eponymous book series by former SVT crime reporter Katarina Wennstam, now an establish author and well-known advocate for women’s rights.

The series features the investigations of lawyer Shirin Sundin and criminal detective Charlotte Lugh.

Maria Dahlin, Head of Art & Bob Film & Drama told nordicfilmandtvnews.com: “the TV show uses crime as an engine, but Wennstam’s strong feminist voice gives a new take to the Nordic noir.”

STHLM Requiem’s head-writers Pauline Wolff and Jörgen Hjerdt are also head-writers of Justitia.  “We will start the financing process this fall,” said Dahlin who was recently appointed CEO of Art & Bob Film & Drama, as part of the group’s reorganisation.

Art & Bob group, now headed by co-founder Jan Blomgren, consists of three sister companies: Art & Bob Film & Drama, Art & Bob Television - headed by the group’s co-founder Mikael Hernström - and Art & Bob Post-Production. 

“Over the last two years, since Co_Made Sthlm [Swedish investment firm] came on board as shareholders, we’ve been ramping up our production activities” said Blomgren. 

Describing Art & Bob’s film & TV drama output, Dahlin said: “We have a mixed slate of commercial returnable comedy shows, remakes, drama comedies, documentary series, niche arthouse films, and have been ramping up international co-productions, both on the feature film and TV drama side.”

The seasoned producer acknowledged that Covid-19 has delayed the financing of several international projects, but she is hopeful that business will pick up again in 2021. 

Other high-profile projects in development include: 

• Elda & Amelia, an Italian/Swedish feature film written by the acclaimed Peter Birro (Waltz for Monica, Viva Hate) and journalist/producer Christina Birro. The film is inspired by the controversial, successful, loved and hated publicist Amelia Adamo.
• The Ghost Laban, an animated kids’ film and TV series based on the Little Ghost popular franchise, written by Jan Vierth, Anders Sparring and Lena Ollmark. 

Art & Bob has also a packed programme of TV series currently airing or soon to premiere this fall.  

• Dreaming of England (Sommaren 85), backed by Nordisk Film & TV Fond, opened strongly on SVT mid-September with 882,000 viewers for episode 1. 
• the drama/comedy Fullt hus - remake of the French-Canadian series Boomerang-premiered on Discovery Networks Sweden’s D Play on August 2 and on Kanal 5 August 30. The cast includes Liv Mjönes (STHLM Requiem), Cecilia Forss (Black Widows) and Sven Melander (Veni, Vidi Vici). 
• the historical documentary series The Queens (Drottningarna) about eight of Sweden’s most fascinating queens, narrated by Sofia Helin, will premiere on C More October 15. 

Art & Bob is also currently filming season 5 of Discovery Networks Sweden’s hit comedy series Sommaren med släkten, remake of the Norwegian show Neste Sommer (Next Summer).

Meanwhile the feature film The Longest Day (Den längsta dagen) by Jonas Selberg Augustsén (The Garbage Helicopter) which world premiered in Rotterdam earlier this year, will be released later this fall by TriArt.