Netflix beefs up Nordic film slate with The Conference - highlights Nordic slate

“We’ve had a great 2022 year with Nordic original content ” said Stjernströmer Björk, mentioning the Swedish series Snabba Cash 2 (SF Studios/Strive Studios), Love & Anarchy S2 (FLX), Young Royals S2 (Nexiko), The Playlist (Yellow Bird UK), the Danish thriller feature Loving Adults (SF Studios), Norwegian A Storm for Christmas (The Global Ensemble), and action-fantasy feature Troll (Motion Blur).

In less than two weeks Troll was our most popular non-English language Netflix Original film,” underscored Stjernströmer Björk. “We’re very pleased with our output of Nordic series and we’re getting there on the feature film side,” she told nordicfilmandtvnews.com.

The seasoned Swedish film and TV executive also highlighted to the TV Drama Vision 500+ industry delegates at Göteborg’s Stora Teatern Netflix's commitment to training via its Alma X-Netflix Writing Academy (see our separate story: CLICK HERE) and to diversity and representation, through its partnership with the International Sámi Film Institute signed in September 2022 (see our separate story: CLICK HERE).

Regarding windowing and possible collaborations with local broadcasters , Stjernströmer Björk cited Dance Brothers, Netflix’s first Finnish original series, co-produced with Yle, as the “perfect project, which beyond its engaging story, was attractive to Netflix with its widowing structure”. The dance drama created and produced by Max Malka at Banijay’s Endemol Shine Finland, is due to premiere in 2023 first on Netflix, and subsequently on Yle .

Stjernströmer Björk cited three other Netflix Nordic originals due to premiere this year.

The Swedish comedy slasher movie The Conference produced by SF Studios is based on Swedish author Mats Strandberg’s eponymous best-selling novel, adapted for the screens by Norway’s seasoned screenwriter Thomas Moldestad (Cold Prey, Varg Veum, Gold Run). Oscar-nominated Patrik Eklund (Instead of Abracadabra, We Got This!) is directing.

The story turns on a team-building conference attended by municipal employees, that spirals into a nightmare when accusations of corruption begin to circulate and plague the work environment. Simultaneously, a mysterious figure begins stalking and murdering the participants one-by-one.

Eklund describes the story as a “very bloody, entertaining, and gripping story about the unsung anti-heroes of the public sector.”

The ensemble Scandi-cast led by Katia Winter (The Catch, Sleepy Hollow, Hamilton), Adam Lundgren (The Restaurant, Hilma), Eva Melander (Border, The Unlikely Murderer) also includes Bahar Pars (A Man Called Ove) and Maria Sid (All the Sins). Ina Sohlberg is producing for SF Studios.

The Swedish series Barracuda Queens from head-writer Camilla Ahlgren (Quicksand, The Bridge) is produced by Frida Asp and Varhos for Asp Varhos. Loosely inspired by true events, the series follows a group of four upper-class young women who commit heists in an affluent Stockholm suburb.

The Danish show The Nurse directed by Kasper Barfoed (The Chestnut Tree) for SAM Productions, is based on the eponymous book by Kristian Corfixen. The story based on true events, turns on a Danish nurse who was convicted of attempted manslaughter of four patients at Nykøbing Falster Hospital.

Toplining the show are Josephine Park (Baby Fever, Doggystyle), and Fanny Louise Bernth (Ride Upon a Storm).