"I've been working on Kristina of Sweden for the last 12 years, on and off" told Mika Kaurismäki to nordiskfilmogtvfond in Cannes. But this is my biggest project and my first period film. I've done different genres. I don't want to repeat myself". Kristina of Sweden focuses on the Swedish Queen who ruled in 17th century Sweden from the age of 7 until her abdication aged 28. "I've always been fascinated not so much by the period but by Queen Kristina's character," says the director. "She was ahead of her time, a free thinker, interested in arts and science and a clever politician as well. She was also quite complex, so finding the right angle for the script was difficult. I was very pleased when I met Canadian scriptwriter Michel Bouchard who helped me with the storyline. I see Kristina of Sweden as a modern film".
To play the main role, Kaurismäki has chosen Swedish rising star Malin Buska after watching her in Björn Runge's Happen End. Kristina's mother Maria Eleonora will be played by German actress Martina Gedeck (The Lives of Others). The €6m project is packaged as a co-production between the director's Marianna Films, Anagram Film (Sweden), Triptych Media (Canada), Starhaus Filmproduktion (Germany) and Arsam International (France). Shooting in Sweden and in Germany will start in February 2013. Yellow Affair handles world sales.
The Finnish/Swedish sales outfit was also busy in Cannes with Kaurismäki's completed film Road North, a father/son comedy drama set to open Finland on August 24. "Our closed screening was sold out and we had strong interest from several territories, including Asia" said Yellow Affair's managing director Miira Paasilinna.