Rights for Läckberg's fifth novel have been sold to over 13 countries and the novel is currently on top of French book charts. Set between WW2 and the present day, The German Child focuses on a new investigation led by writer Erica Falk who unveils disturbing evidences from her own mother's childhood. "The film deals with a childhood tragedy, but it's also a beautiful love story," said Tre Vänner producer Helen Ahlsson.
Top Swedish talents that will bring to the screen the characters of Falk and her husband inspector Patrick Hedström will be announced around the Cannes Film Festival."We're looking for Swedish talents that will be able to carry the roles for several years, both for The Fjällbacka Murders TV series and The German Child. It's a long term commitment and we hope they will create benchmark characters like the celebrated Kurt Wallander," noted Ahlsson. The director for the first Fjällbacka Murders film is the Oscar-nominated Marcus Olsson. A world-renowned Nordic director will be attached to The German Child.
Set to start shooting this August in Läckberg's small Swedish west coast town of Fjällbacka, The Fjällbacka Murders will be made as two seasons each consisting of 5x90‘ films based on original material drawn from the author's world and characters. The second season of 5 TV films will follow.
Writers Charlotte Lesche, Karin Gidfors and Linn Gottfridsson are currently working on the first four scripts, and Läckberg who is actively involved in the writing process, said she is very pleased with the material.
Total budget for the 5x90‘ TV series and the feature film is SEK141 million (around €15.7 million) of which around SEK50 million (€5.5m) will be spent in the local economy. Final shooting day of the first film of the The Fjällbacka Murders is set for September 23, two days after the publication of Läckberg's upcoming eighth novel in the series.
The Fjällbacka Murders and The German Child are produced by Tre Vänner in co-production with Nordisk Film, Film i Väst, and SVT. French veteran sales agent Daniel Marquet who worked on the Millennium trilogy is handling France and TrustNordisk the rest of the world.