Swedish master director Roy Andersson was awarded the largest grant of NOK2.2 million (total NOK2.5 million including development support) towards the making of A Pigeon Sat on a Branch - Reflecting on Existence, the third installment in his ''living' trilogy' following Songs from the Second Floor and You, the Living. The film will use the director's usual vignette storytelling structure, and two characters will appear in all segments of the film. Pigeon is produced by Andersson's Studio 24 with Philippe Bober's The Co-production Office acting as co-producer and sales agent. Delivery date is set for 2013.
Purge by Hollywood-based Finnish director Antti Jokinen was awarded NOK1.1 million. The drama based on Sofi Oksanen's Nordic Council Literary Prize winning novel (pictured) is currently shooting in Estonia for Solar Films and Estonia's Taska Film. Cast members include Liisi Tandefelt, Laura Birn, Amanda Pilke, Tommi Korpela and Peter Franzén among others. The €4m project will be released in Finland in the autumn 2012. Trust Nordisk handles sales.
Three political documentaries also received production support. ½ Revolution by Danish director Omar Shargawi (Go with Peace Jamil) captures the revolution in Egypt earlier this year. Producer Carsten Holst (Globus ApS) was awarded NOK130,000. The film sold by LevelK is opening Nordisk Panorama today.
Anagram Film's Swedish documentary Hasssel-Privatspanarna is the story of ex-cop Roland Hassel who can't let go of the mysterious assassination of the former Swedish Prime Minister Olaf Palme in 1986. Måns Månsson's film was awarded NOK500,000. Finally Putin's Kiss is the story of the 19 year-old Masha, leader of the Russian youth movement who realizes that her position has a price. Lise Birk Pedersen's film produced by Monday Production was awarded 300,000. DR Sales is handling international distribution.