Vigdís mini-series among five new projects backed by Nordisk Film & TV Fond

DRAMA SERIES

• Vigdís
  Format: 4x55’
  Grant: NOK 2,500,000
  Recipient: Vesturport, Iceland
  Producers: Rakel Gardarsdóttir, Ágústa M. Ólafsdóttir
  Main writers: Björg Magnúsdóttir, Ágústa Ólafsdóttir
  Directors: Björn Hlynur Haraldsson, Tinna Hrafnsdóttir
  Key cast: Nína Dögg Filipusdóttir
  Logline: In a male-dominated society a single mother decides to run for president of Iceland. Vigdís’ journey to that decision is an inspiring true story of a humble girl who fails repeatedly in life but never gives up.
  
  The anticipated biopic about Vigdís Finnbogadóttir, Iceland’s former president and the world’s first woman democratically elected head of state, is currently in pre-production, with a start of principal photography set for late February 2024.
  
  The series is being co-financed by DR, SVT, NRK, Yle, with support from the Icelandic Film Centre, and Iceland’s 35% reimbursement scheme. REinvent handles international sales. The premiere on RÚV is set for Christmas 2024.

FEATURE FILMS

• EUROPE
  Grant: NOK 700,000
  Recipient: True Content Production Norway
  Producer: Renée Hansen Mlodyszewski
  Director: Brwa Vahabpour
  Writer: Brwa Vahabpour
  Cast: Peiman Azizpour, Hamza Agoshi, Sarah Francesca Brænne
  Logline: The young Akam lives a carefree life in Norway, when his uncle from Kurdistan comes for a surprise visit. When it becomes apparent that his uncle is planning to stay, Akam needs to make an ethical decision regarding the Norwegian authorities versus his uncle’s needs.
  
  Vahabpour’s directorial debut is co-produced by Romania’s Tangaj Production, with co-financing from NRK, The Norwegian Film Institute, Oslo Filmfond, Filmreaktor, Talent Norge`s scheme Filmskapere’ (Filmmakers), Fond for lyd og bilde and Fritt Ord.
  
  The local premiere via Norsk Filmdistribusjon is set for the fall 2024.

• Odd Fish (Ljósvíkingar)
  Amount: NOK 1,800,000
  Recipient: The Icelandic Film Company
  Producers: Júlíus Kemp and Ingvar Þórðarson
  Director: Snævar Sölvason
  Writers: Snævar Sölvason, Veiga Grétarsdóttir
  Logline: When two childhood friends get a long-awaited opportunity to open their seafood restaurant all year round, one of them comes out of the closet as a trans woman, which rattles the friendship.
  
  The co-production with Finland’s Solar Films and the Czech Republic’s Axman Production is currently shooting in Iceland. The domestic release is set for the spring 2024.

DOCUMENTARIES

• The Dialogue Police
  Grant: NOK 500, 000
  Recipient: Susanna Edwards AB, Sweden
  Producer: Susanna Edwards
  Director: Susanna Edwards
  Domestic distribution: SVT
  Logline: The film cuts right into the present. Rasmus Paludan burns the Koran, Iranians and Kurds demonstrate to protest against Mahsa Amini’s death, climate activists glue themselves to the motorways and Sweden applies to join NATO. We follow the police officers work at the frontline of a polarised election campaign, with escalating tensions culminating in a historical shift in Swedish politics. The police officers’ work can provoke both threats and hatred, but their fight for democracy and freedom of expression with dialogue as their only weapon is more crucial than ever.
  
  The latest project by seasoned director Susanna Edwards (Sunshadow, Golden Girl) is co-produced by Kärnfilm’s Petra Jönsson, SVT, Film Stockholm, Gotland Filmfond, KriStine Skaret from Stray Dogs Norway, Thor Hampus Bank and Emil Johnsen from Denmark’s Got Fat Productions, with co-financing from DR and support from the Swedish Film Institute. Delivery is set for September 2024.

• The Curse of Kane
  Grant: NOK 750,000
  Recipient: Indie Film, Norway
  Producer: Carsten Aanonsen
  Directors: Even G. Benestad, August H. Hanssen
  Domestic distribution: TBA
  Logline: Modern Don Quixote story set in a spaghetti western setting.
  
  The film is the first collaboration between August B. Hanssen and Even G. Benestad since their 2012 multi-awarded Pushwagner, also produced by Aanonsen.
  
  The film is co-produced by two regular Nordic partners: Finland’s Mouka Filmi, associated to Ida’s Diary, The Punk Syndrome, and Denmark’s Good Company Pictures, co-producer of Young & Afraid. Delivery is scheduled for early 2025.

DISTRIBUTION AND DUBBING SUPPORT

• NOK 200,000 to Scandinavian Film Distribution, Denmark for the release of the Norwegian film There’s Something in the Barn.
• NOK 100,000 to Studio Show Entertainment, Sweden for the release of the Danish film The Kiss.
• NOK 100,000 to Filmbazar, Denmark for the release of the Norwegian documentary Fighters.
• NOK 50,000 to Indie Film, Norway for the release of the Swedish documentary After Work.
• NOK 100,000 to Sena, Iceland for the dubbing into Icelandic of the Norwegian family film Teddy’s Christmas.

INDUSTRY INITIATIVES SUPPORT

• NOK 100,000 to the Fredrikstad Animation Festival, Norway
• NOK 100,000 to Mirage Docfest Norway.