MIPDrama - 5 out of 10 projects coming from the Nordics

The five Nordic series part of MIPDrama’s 7^th edition, were selected out of nearly 50 premium TV drama projects from 23 different countries. Sunday April 3 at the Théâtre Debussy in Cannes, a 15-minute exclusive sneak-peek of each show will be presented to global buyers, invited to vote for their ‘Coup de Coeur’.

Here is a rundown of the Nordic pitch projects:

• The 8x60’ series Elvira is produced by Denmark’s SAM Productions (The Chestnut Man, Borgen-Power & Glory) as a Viaplay Original, with support among others from Nordisk Film & TV Fond. Studiocanal handles sales.
  
  Heidi Maria Faisst (The Legacy) and Lærke Sanderhoff (The Sunfish) have written the screenplay, based on Anne-Sophie Lunding-Sørensen’s acclaimed book about the extremely overweight anti-heroine Elvira Gregersen (35).
  
  Played by newcomer Sara Klein, Elvira is resolutely unambitious. Her day job consists of answering the phone in a brothel, owned by her childhood friend and policeman Køster (Peter Plauborg from Cry Wolf). But when a prostitute vanishes, Elvira feels an urge to investigate, which leads to dramatic consequences, and the discovery that she might be capable of achieving more than she ever imagined. The series is due to premiere this year on Viaplay.
• The 8x25’ All That is Left (Allt som blir kvar) is produced by Baluba for SVT. SVT Sales handles sales. Nordic Talents 2018 winner Fanny Ovesen is directing from a screenplay by Sandra Beijer, based on her own eponymous novel. Maria Clauss serves as co-writer.
  
  The teen/young adult series is about Matilda, who is left with a broken heart in the middle of summer. She does not know where to go and her best boyfriend Miron takes her under his wings. In the title roles are newcomer Madeleine Ferraud, Oscar Zia (Cryptid) and Erik Enge (Tigers, The Bridge). The series is due to premiere on SVT later this year.
• The 6X45’ Evilside (Korvessa kulkevi) is produced by Finland’s Whatevergroup, in association with Norway’s Handmade Films in Norwegian Woods for Elisa Viihde. It is supported by the Finnish Film Foundation, Business Finland and Business Oulu. Dutch Features Global Entertainment handles sales. The crime show is directed by Jussi Hiltunen (Arctic Circle, Bordertown) from a screenplay by Aleksi Puranen (Heavy Trip), Antti Kairakari and Oona Haapaniemi.
  
  Set on an island in the Bothnian Bay, Northern Finland, the story centres on Johanna (16), an outcast in the small fishing community, who is accused of the murder of her childhood friend Aapo. Together with Helsinki detective Ulla Penttinen, Johanna has to prove her innocence before the killer hits again. In the starring roles are Amira Khalifa (A Piece of My Heart), Olivia Ainali (Bordertown) Jakob Öhrman (Arctic Circle, Rebecka Martinsson) and Matti Onnismaa (Mister 8, Deadwind). The series is due to premiere on Elisa Viihde Viaplay in 2023.

• The 10X45’ crime series Summer of Sorrow (Munkkivuori) is produced by Finland’s Rabbit Films for Elisa Viihde, with support from Business Finland, the Finnish Film Foundation and Nelonen. Keshet International handles sales.
  
  The series is created, written and directed by Jani Volanen (M/S Romantic). It takes place one summer, when the disappearance of a small child from the idyllic suburb of Munkkivuori forces the adults in the neighbourhood to take justice into their own hands, with tragic consequences. The events are told from the perspective of the local children.
  The premiere on Elisa Viihde Viaplay is set for this fall.

• The 8x44’ political thriller The Invincibles (Rosvopankki) is produced by Finland’s Moskito Television for Elisa Viihde, in association with Aurora Studios, the Finnish Impact Film Fund, Nelonen, Estonia’s Stellar Film, support from the Finnish Film Foundation and the Estonian Film Institute. Fremantle International handles sales.
  
  Matti Kinnunen (2021 Nordisk Film & TV Fond Prize nominated for Cargo) is directing and wrote the screenplay, together with Mikko Reitala (Laugh & Die).
  
  The drama is inspired by the true events of Finland’s banking crisis in the early 1990s. The story follows the young idealist economist Salla Nurminen (Amanda Pilke) from the Bank Inspectorate, who vows to fight corrupt bankers. She becomes supervisor of the central savings bank SKOP, run by the charismatic CEO Christopher Wegelius (Pekka Strang). SKOP is where young invincible lions can build fortunes, by speculating through a ‘strike and cash in’ approach. Soon Salla enters a cat and mouse game with Wegelius. The series will premiere on Elisa Viihde Viaplay in 2023.

The MIPDrama line up was selected by MIPTV organisers RX France's editorial team, with the support of the MIPDrama Buyers Advisory Board: Ignacio Barrera (Telemundo Global Studios, USA); Geraldine Easter (Nine Network, Australia); Aline Marrache-Tesseraud (Universal Music Media & Content, France); Anette Rømer (STV Production, Denmark); Sarah Wright (Sky, UK) and Viktoria Wasilewski (Amazon Italia).

The 59^th spring TV market MIPTV (April 4-6) is expecting a strong industry presence after the previous two online editions.