Scherfig alongside the company’s co-owners Ole Christian Madsen and Malene Blenkov will be overseeing the new division ‘Nordisk Film-Creative Alliance’ for the Scandinavian giant.

Artist-led Creative Alliance is one of Denmark’s most high-profile production outfits, run since 2013 by CEO and producer Malene Blenkov, internationally-renowned writer/directors Lone Scherfig (Italian for Beginners, An Education, The Kindness of Strangers) and Ole Christian Madsen (Superclásico, Banshee, Power Keg).

Speaking to nordicfilmandtvnews.com, Henrik Zein, managing director of Nordisk Film Production said the partnership stands out as a unique opportunity for Creative Alliance’s co-founders to retain their brand, while benefitting from Nordisk Film Production’s creative environment and production hub at their Valby headquarters. “I think it is a huge strength for us to get such talented colleagues, just as they will be inspired by many new competent colleagues, and together we will strengthen our creative power house,” he said.

“Our time as independent producer has been fantastic but the way the business works today has become much more complex,” added Blenkov. “In conversations with Allan Hansen [Nordisk Film CEO] and Henrik Zein, we exchanged ideas for the future that were simply energising and inspiring, freeing us to concentrate on creativity, and we have been given capacity to lift our projects more substantially.”

Asked if the new set up will impact her company’s output, Blenkov said: “Creative Alliance will not change the type of projects we develop in our new structure with Nordisk. We are still family-based, built around a profound producer/director partnership [behind] a wide breadth of film and series under development, from distinctive features to broadcast network TV shows.”

Creative Alliance’s highly anticipated TV drama The Shift produced for TV2 is currently in post.

Scherfig’s first Danish language production in 14 years, is set in a maternity ward, under the aegis of head-midwife Ella, played by Sofie Gråbøl. The series handled internationally by Beta Film (outside Scandinavian and Benelux), is due to premiere next year.

According to Blenkov, Creative Alliance’s next high-end series is scheduled to start filming this coming spring for Viaplay, with Milad Alami (When the Dust Settles) attached as director. Meanwhile Ole Christian Madsen is currently developing a show for HBO Max.

“Our feature film slate also counts wonderful projects with both our in-house directors and fantastic talent from throughout the industry in Scandinavia,” added the producer/CEO.