The Swedish comedy Farsan (Balls) by Josef Fares and local kid movies in Denmark, Norway and Finland proved strong competitors to US mainstream films Avatar, The Princess and the Frog and Shutter Island last weekend on Nordic screens.

In its third weekend, Farsan kept its first place at the Swedish Top ten, and sold an extra 47,000 tickets from 127 screens for SF. So far, over 246,000 Swedes have seen Fares' new comedy produced by Memfis Film. The thriller Snabba Cash (Easy Money) was number seven in its seventh week and total admissions are now over 562,000 for Nordisk Film.

In Denmark, the family franchise movie Far til fire på Japansk (Father of Four In Japanese Mode) released by Scanbox was second in its fourth week, after Avatar. Total admissions for the Asa Film Production are at over 356,000 so far. Nordisk Film's Parterapi (Therapy) directed by Kenneth Kainz (Pure Hearts) opened for a third place with over 44,000 tickets sold from 78 screens. In Norway, two children's films released by Nordisk Film were in the Top Ten. The Maipo Production Asphaltenglene (East End Angel) by Lars Berg opened for a number four position with 10,779 admissions, and the franchise film Olsenbanden jr. Mestertyvens skatt was fifth (149,000 total admissions in five weeks).

In Finland, the children's film Ricky Rapper and the Bicycle Thief (Risto Räppääjä ja polkupyörävaras), a follow up to Finland's biggest local hit of 2008 stayed at the top of the local chart in its third week. Total admissions are 165,164 for the Kinotar Production. Kari Väänänen's Backwood Philosopher (Havukka-ahon ajattelija) produced by MatilaRöhr added another 4,567 admissions last weekend to reach 173,229. In Iceland, the third Millennium film The Girl who Kicked the Hornet's Nest was number two for Sena (12,056 total admissions) in its second weekend. Mamma Gógó was twelfth (total admissions 21,810) and Mr Bjarfredarson was number 16 (65,996 total admissions).

Sources: SMAIS, FAFID, Finnish Film Foundation, Filmweb.no, SF