Writer Mette Heeno and producer Mie Andreasen (Happy Ending Film & TV) are developing the new Danish TV drama.

After the bittersweet comedy series Splitting up Together that premiered as a Berlinale Special and just screened in competition at the French Festival de la Fiction de la Rochelle, Happy Ending Film & TV is working on their second original drama Carmen Curlers.

The 10x52’ series is inspired by the true story of the famous Carmen heated hair rollers. Set in the city of Kalundborg and the surroundings in the 1960s, the series tells the story of Arne Bybjerg who invented the electrical hair curlers and gradually built an international business relying on more than 3,500 women.

“In the 1960s, Bybjerg couldn’t get enough men to work in his factories so he picked up farmers’ wives and gave them a job. Gradually the women became more independent and their status in Danish society started to improve. The series will be a humorous drama about success, family, curls and women’s liberation,” said Andreasen.’“Just like our feature film All Inclusive (watched by about 10% of the Danish population), women will be the stars of Carmen Curlers”.

Heeno, Andreasen and director Hella Joof are also working on the new feature film Champagne celebrating the third age. The bittersweet comedy is scheduled to go into production in the summer 2017.

Meanwhile two remakes of Happy Ending’s successful formats are in the works. 

  • The series Splitting Up Together has been optioned by US network ABC with Ellen De Generes’ A very Good Prods and Warner Bros TV as producers. The project is written by Emily Kapnek who shares the executive producer credit with Heeno, Joof and Andreasen. 
  • All Inclusive is being remade for the Swedish market by Avanti Film’s Anna Croneman and Anna Anthony with Suzanne Reuter, Liv Mjönes and Jennie Silfverhjelm in the title roles.