More than 35,000 visitors including 2,200 industry people are expected at the 20th Festival de la Fiction de la Rochelle in France, unspooling September 12-16, 2018.

Carole Villevet, head of the festival’s European selection committee told nordicfilmandtvnews.com: “We have selected a total of four Nordic TV series, including three Norwegian ones. The Nordic region is a fertile ground for creativity. What was anticipated last year is confirmed this year. The Nordics have successfully moved away from the Nordic Noir and shown their great ability to renew themselves and diversify into very different genres and formats, such as the romantic comedy, the youth series or the societal drama. All of these are genres that France struggles to produce. There are many talents in the Nordics who seem to enjoy a great creative freedom. The region is also very attuned to viewers’ tastes and seems to be always a step ahead of others.”

The Norwegian youth dramedy Helium will have its world premiere in La Rochelle ahead of its premiere on NRK on September 1st. Producer Arild Halvorsen of Fabelaktiv said: “It is a great honour to be selected for La Rochelle. Helium is a brand new series created with great enthusiasm and love. Norwegian drama for children is highly valued internationally, and we hope and believe Helium will be well received.”

The TV show reunites the co-writers of the Trio youth series Trond Morten Venaasen Morten Hovland, as well as directors Liv Karin Dahlstrøm (Match) and Mikal Hovland. In the series for 7-11 years-old, the main character Martin (12) wants to be as normal as possible and is embarrassed by his family, whom he thinks are barking mad. Martin falls in love with Dalia, but every time he goes to talk to her he gets a helium voice. He tries to appear as normal as possible to Dalia and her family. But the more he tries, the further he pushes Dalia away. In the end, he has to take a leap of faith and trust.

The series co-produced by Germany’s NDR, was co-financed by DR, Yle, with support from the Norwegian Film Institute and Nordisk Film & TV Fond. Beta Film handles world distribution.

Other Nordic TV shows competing in La Rochelle are the following:

  • Norway - One Night (10x26’) produced by Viafilm’s Anders Tangen (Dag, Lilyhammer) for NRK. Creator Øystein Karlsen co-wrote the show with Kristopher Schau.

    The romantic drama about two people’s first meeting on a blind date was filmed in real time, in a double version, with MyAnn Buring and Gísli Örn Garðarsson starring in the English version and MyAnn Buring and Anders Baasmo Christiansen in the Norwegian version. Federation Entertainment handles world distribution. 
  • Norway - Home Ground/Heimebane (10x50’) produced by Motlys for NRK. Showrunner Johan Fasting’s drama starring Ane Dahl Torp as a female football coach had its world premiere in Berlinale Series. The show won three Norwegian TV awards 2018 including Best TV Drama. Season 2 will premiere on NRK early 2019. DR Sales handles world sales. 
  • Finland-Welcome to Texas/ Aallonmurtaja (10x42’) produced by Warner Bros International TV Finland for C More. The series is directed by Mika Kurvinen, co-writer with Miira Karhula. Welcome to Texas tells of a married couple who leads a smuggling operation in a small Finnish town close to the Russian border and are drawn into the world of international organised crime, while trying to protect their family. Maria Ylipää won Best Actress at this year’s Finnish TV awards for the show. ZDF Enterprises handles world distribution.

Elsewhere, the French remake of the Norwegian cult series SKAM is nominated for Best series in the 26’ competition slot.

For further information about the festival, check: http://www.festival-fictiontv.com/en/