From being the most expensive Norwegian film ever with a NOK93 million budget, Espen Sandberg and Joachim R

Only three other Norwegian films have passed the 100,000 admission cap for an opening weekend before: Sandberg and Rønning's own WW2 drama Max Manus (134,843 admissions), Morten Tyldum's Headhunters (105,256) and Mats Stenberg's Cold Prey 2 (101,608).

Hanne Palmquist, head of Nordisk Film & TV Fond said: "Kon Tiki had the fantastic and historic opening we all hoped for and I wish to congratulate the directors and the actors involved. I also wish to congratulate producer Aage Aaberge, executive producer Lone Korslund as well as CEO Allan Hansen at Nordisk Film and UK co-producer Jeremy Thomas for believing in Kon Tiki and having the courage to seriously invest and bring the film to such a convincing level."

The UK film mogul and Oscar-winning producer Jeremy Thomas told nordiskfilmogtvfond.com: "Kon Tiki was the longest film adventure ever, from script stage to screen, longer than The Last Emperor and all of my other movies. I was first introduced to the project by publisher and businessman Johan Stenersen who had told my friend Michael Douglas about it. I then approached Thor Heyerdahl junior. Once I got the rights in 1996, I tried to finance the project on the international market but didn't succeed. I got in touch with Nordisk Film and they did a fantastic job in raising the money in Scandinavia. I should have looked into doing it like that years ago!"

"Seeing the film last Thursday at the Royal premiere in Oslo was extraordinary. I'm extremely pleased with the film. It's a happy outcome to a long journey. And everything - working with Scandinavia, Nordisk Film - was beyond belief and I would love to work again with Espen and Joachim. I had one regret though when sitting in the Opera Hall: that Thor Heyerdahl wasn't there to watch the film and neither Johan Stenersen!"

Lone Korslund, head of Nordic acquisitions and co-productions added. "It is very seldom that there have been such great expectations for a Nordic film and Kon Tiki has totally fulfilled them. Thanks to Espen and Joachim we now have a new record-breaking opening. This means a great deal for Nordisk Film and our strategy to invest in big Nordic films in the future."

Kon Tiki will screen at Toronto's International Film Festival (September 6-16) as a Special Presentations where sales agent Hanway Films will introduce it to world buyers. The film's release in Denmark is set for April 4, and in Sweden for Christmas 2013.