In Denmark cinemagoers are embracing the variety of quality local films as indicated by the three Danish titles in the top 10.

After four weeks on screens, Tilde Harkamp’s Hunting Season (Nordisk Film) stayed at number 2 last weekend after Joker (SF/WB) and the strong 361 admission per screen average proved the film has legs. So far 376,781 Danes have watched the relationship comedy produced by Nordisk Film, making it the third biggest Danish film of 2019.

At number 7, Anders Morgenthaler/Mikael Wulff’s animated film The Street Party (Nordisk Film) attracted an extra 10,434 people in its fifth week, pushing total head counts to 142,927.

Niels Arden Oplev’s drama Daniel (Nordisk Film) managed to climb from number 10 to 9 and continues to hold on extremely well with 123 admissions per screen after nine weeks. With 455,784 admissions, the film is now the second biggest local title of 2019 after the animated smash hit Checkered Ninja.

In its third week, the epic drama Valhalla by Fenar Ahmad (Nordisk Film) posted 48,541 admissions, dropping from number 9 to 12; the film is still playing in 71 screens. The family film Gooseboy by Mikkel Wikke and Steen Rasmussen (SF Studios) dropped from number 9 to 15 and has attracted 53,141 Danes after four weeks.

Among Nordic entries, Norway’s Oscar candidate Out Stealing Horses (Camera Film) remained stable at number 14. The film has sold 17,505 tickets after four weeks. 

In Finland, Solar Films -specialised in commercial fare- is boosting the local films market-share with three titles in the top 11. Taru Mäkelä’s comedy Perfect Christmas (SF Studios) opened last weekend at number 2 after Joker, securing 18,169 admissions from 123 screens. The film was produced by Solar Films’ speciality label Bronson Club.

The comedy Fingerpori-Lessons of Love (Nordisk Film) directed by popular actor Mikko Kouki, entered the top chart at number 4. The film based on a comic strip by Pertti Jarla, sold an extra 15,426 tickets from 98 screens to reach 41,995 after three weeks.

The biopic King of Hearts (Nordisk Film) about local country singer Kari Tapio is the biggest Finnish film of 2019 so far, with 163,115 admissions. Last weekend the film was number 11 after seven weeks on screens.

Mika Kaurismäki’s story of cultural acceptance and integration Master Cheng (SFS) has seduced 44,081 cinemagoers after 5 weeks and Zaida Bergroth’s period film Maria’s Paradise (Nordisk Film) 23,373  after four weeks. Both are still playing in 53 and 41 screens respectively and should increase their numbers. 

In Iceland Silja Hauksdóttir’s realistic drama Agnes Joy (Sena) is resonating well with local crowds. In its second week the film climbed from third to second place at the BO, superseding Maleficent, pushed down to number 5. The local mother/daughter drama produced by Vintage Pictures has sold 5,403 tickets so far and should remain on screens in the coming weeks.  The low budget Icelandic chiller Þorsti (Samfilm) co-directed by Gaukur Úlfarsson and Steindór Hróar Steindórsson came in at number 6, selling 1,618 tickets from 7 screens. The Danish epic film Valhalla co-produced and released by Iceland’s Netop Films, posted 3,927 total admissions after seven weeks.

The Nordic Council Film prize nominated A White, White Day (Sena) has now sold 10,947 tickets after two months, making it one of the most popular local films of 2019. 

In Norway four local films secured a spot at the top 10 last weekend. The kids movie Operation Mummy by Grethe Bøe-Waal (SF Studios) kept its pole position after Joker. After two weeks, the film based on the popular kids book series, has sold 51,929 tickets.

Jens Jonsson period drama The Spy (Nordisk Film) starring Ingrid Bolsø Berdal also remained stable at number 4. The film has sold 39,699 tickets from 109 screens after two weeks.  Rasmus A. Sivertsen and Marit Moum Aune’s  animated film Captain Sabertooth and the Magic Diamond (Nordisk Film) came in at number 7 in its fifth week; with 216,527 admissions to date, it is currently the 8^th most popular film of 2019.

Targeting the youngest age group, the film Bo Bear’s Vacation by Live Glesne Kjølstad (Selmer Media) just made it in the top 10. Total admissions are 28,418 after three weeks.

Three other Norwegian films were in the top 20: In its 10^th week on screens, the family epic The Ash Lad-In the Search of the Golden Castle (Nordisk Film) sold an extra 2,722 tickets to reach 238,558, making it the biggest Norwegian film of 2019. 

The drama Disco by Jorunn Myklebust (Mer Distribution) which world premiered in Toronto, has attracted 33,114 Norwegians after four weeks, while the biopic Astrup-Catching the Flame by Pål Øie, about celebrated painter Nikolai Astrup was watched by 16,336 people. 

In Sweden the downward trend for local films continues, as some films that should have easily passed 125,000 admissions have achieved only half the numbers. So far local films’ market share stands at 11.5% (1,272,862 admissions between January-September 2019) according to Filmägarnas kontrollbyrå. 

The biggest success in recent months comes from the documentary genre, with Jane Magnusson’s portrait of beloved comedic duo Hasse & Tage (Fox/Nordisk), watched by 127,336 Swedes in eight weeks. The BR.F film dropped only 27% week on week and is still playing in 37 cinemas.

In the commercial market, one Swedish film managed to find a spot in the Top 10 Sweden last weekend: the relationship comedy Tills Frank skiljer oss åt by Leif Lindblom (Fox/Nordisk), number 6 in its second weekend. The film has sold 37,199 tickets from 145 screens, with an admission per screen average of 77. 

Backed by good reviews, My Life as a Comedian by Rodja Sekersöz (SF Studios) was number 12 last weekend, with cumulated admissions of 42,442 after three weeks, or 54 admissions per screen average. The film is still playing in 79 cinemas, although its screen run was reduced by 50% week on week. 

The  films The Perfect Patient by Mikael Håfström (Fox/Nordisk) has sold a total of 47,329 tickets after six weeks, and Jens Ganslandt’s 438 Days (SF Studios) 67,44 after nine weeks. Both are only playing now in 11 and four screens respectively. 

The top-rated Swedish film of 2019 (according to the Swedish Film Institute) and festival hit And Then We Danced by Levan Akin (TriArt) is performing reasonably within its target audience, with 28, 412 admissions after seven weeks.

Sources: FAFID, Danish Film Institute, FRÍSK, Filmikamari, Finnish Film Foundation, Norske Filmbyråers Forening, Filmweb.no, Filmägarnas Kontrollbyrå.