For the first time audiences across Norway will be able to view the opening ceremony and opening film of the Norwegian International Film Festival. 

The Ash Lad-In Search of the Golden Castle by Mikkel Brænne Sandemose, will kick-start the 47th Norwegian International Film Festival in Haugesund on Sunday August 18, and thanks to a partnership with Nordisk Film Kino, audiences across Norway will be invited to sneak preview the adventure fantasy film at the same time.  “We are proud to be the first to screen this film and we are sure it will entertain the audience both in Haugesund and in the rest of Norway,” said festival director Tonje Hardersen.

The official Norwegian premiere via Nordisk Film Distribution is set for August 23.  A similar cinema event was organised by this year’s Cannes Film Festival, as more than 600 French venues took part in the live retransmission of the Cannes opening ceremony, which was followed by the screening of the opening film The Dead Don’t Die. 

The Ash Lad-In Search of the Golden Castle was produced by Synnøve Hørsdal and Åshild Ramborg for Maipo Film. The family film is a follow up to the 2017 smash hit The Ash Lad, In the Hall of the Mountain King, second highest grossing film of the year after Star Wars: The Last Jedi. 

Reprising the main roles as Espen ‘Ash Ladd’ and Princess Kristin are Ebjørn Enger (Twin) and Eili Harboe (Thelma). Danish star actress Sidse Babette Knudsen plays the antagonist. Other cast members comprise Mads Sjøgård Pettersen (State of Happiness), Elias Holmen Sørensen (The Oil Fund), Thorbjørn Harr (Vikings) and Christian Skolmen (Zombielars). 

In the sequel, Espen ‘Ash Lad’ and Princess Kristin set out on a quest to find the mythical Soria Moria Castle, said to be built of pure gold. The castle is also where the ‘water of life’ is to be found, the only thing that can cure Kristin’s parents who have been poisoned. But wicked Danes are also on the hunt to find the castle. 

The film is sold internationally by TrustNordisk. Territories that have pre-bought it include Spain/Andorra (Art Mood), Poland (Telewizja Puls), the Czech Republic and Slovakia (Cinemart), Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia (International Movie Distribution/Capella Film).

To see the trailer CLICK HERE.

The 47th Norwegian International Film Festival will take place August 17-23, 2019.