Motlys is collaborating again with writer Johan Fasting, creator of NRK’ hit series Home Ground, as well as with the series’ episode director Yngvild Sve Flikke. The latter’s first feature film Women in Oversized Men Shirts was also produced by Motlys. 

Ninjababy which just wrapped filming in Oslo, is based on Inga H. Sætre’s graphic novel Falltknikk (The Art of Falling). It’s the story of Rakel (23), who finds out she’s six months pregnant after a one-night stand. Her boyfriend (who’s not the father) is ok with her having a baby, but Rakel is simply not ready for motherhood and is thinking of adoption as a way out. That’s when Ninjababy, an animated character who insists on making Rakel’s everyday life a living hell, turns up. He climbs out from her note book, jumps into her tea cup, and tells her what a bad person she is.

Novelist/animator Inga H Sætre will handle the animation, in collaboration with Mikrofilm, Academy-award winner 2007 for the short animated The Danish Poet. 

Sæther told nordicfilmandtvnews.com that “early inspirations for the film were films like Juno, Ghost World and Frances Ha, in terms of characters’ attitude and the mix of comedy and drama”, but otherwise the style combining live action and animation is quite unique.

In the main roles are upcoming talents Kristine Thorp, Arthur Berning (In Order of Disappearance), and Nader Khademi (Home Ground, Beforeigners). 

The film supported by the Norwegian Film Institute and Nordisk Film & TV Fond, will be released in Norway by Arthaus on September 2020. TriArt will handle the Swedish release and Øst for Paradis the Danish release. 

TrustNordisk handles world sales.