The film directed by Rasmus A. Sivertsen has sold over 113,000 tickets in Denmark and should end up with three times Nordisk Film’s estimates.

Norwegian animation king Rasmus A Sivertsen and his latest film based on a literary classic - Three Robbers and a Lion (Folk og røvere i Kardemomme by) has proved once more that some Nordic films do cross borders-and can even beat Hollywood fare.

After three weeks on screens in Denmark, the Nordisk Film release had sold over 113,302 tickets, making it the best result for a Norwegian film in Denmark since Ivo Caprino's best-selling film Flåklypa Grand Prix in 1975 with 587,000 admissions.

According to Nordisk Film’ Distribution’s director of acquisitions Christoffer Seidelin, Three Robbers and a Lion will end up with three times more admissions than the distribution group’s own estimates. “The film is based on Thorbjørn Egner’s book that is beloved by generations of Danes, and most even believe the book is Danish!” said Seidelin who also underlines that “a highly successful stage musical version has also run for four decades in Denmark. And finally, the film is just wonderful; Rasmus Sivertsen and Qvisten Animation did an incredibly job of making the best possible film version,” he said.

The film is also doing extremely well in Iceland, with 11,213 admissions via Myndform. It will next open in Sweden March 31st via Nordisk Film.

In Norway, the film has now crossed 344,000 admissions.

The film’s dubbing and distribution in Denmark, Iceland and Sweden received support from Nordisk Film & TV Fond.

“The support from Nordisk Film & TV Fond is absolutely key in getting films like Three Robbers and a Lion in front of audiences outside their home country,” Seidelin observed. “It means that distributors and producers can take risks and provide families high quality films that supplement the selection of animated content from local sources and the US studios.”

Sivertsen said the film’s pan-Nordic success means a lot to him and Qvisten Animation. “Stories with a very local foundation have initially not travelled that well outside Norwegian borders, so this is fantastic news. Thorbjørn Egner’s evergreen tale about the three outcasts that become heroes clearly has found its way into the audience's hearts both in Norway and Denmark. It is also comforting to see that people are turning up in the cinemas again,” he said.

According to a report on Nordic Cinema Admissions 2014-2018 commissioned by Nordisk Film & TV Fond (https://nordiskfilmogtvfond.com/industry-insights) Sivertsen’s earlier animation film In the Forest of Huckybucky was also successful on a pan-Nordic level, ranking number 4 in Iceland among all Nordic films released between 2014-2018, number 5 in Sweden and number 8 in Denmark.

Three Robbers and a Lion is sold internationally by Sola Media.

Sivertsen is now working on his next feature, the CGI musical Spermageddon, which he will co-direct with Norway’s other creator of B.O. hits - Tommy Wirkola (Violent Night, The Trip).

Written by Wirkola from his original idea, together with Vegard Hoel and Jesper Sundnes, the film tells the story of Simon the sperm and his quest for the greatest of all - the wonderful egg. A seemingly impossible task, especially considering that they first end up in the wrong place. According to Qvisten, the film will be a mix of Sausage Party in tone, Terkel in Trouble in animation style, and South Park in bold adult language.

“We can promise a film that is unlike anything you’ve seen before! said Sivertsen, who is working on the storyboards and design.

The project produced by Qvisten with 74 Entertainment is due to be distributed by Nordisk Film in 2024.