23/01/2023 - The body has awarded production support to projects helmed by the likes of Mikael Håfström, Magnus Martens, Kari Vidø and Lisa Marie Gamlem

Alba August and Sophie Cookson in Stockholm Bloodbath (© Galgoczi Nemeth Kristof)

On 18 January, the Nordisk Film & TV Fond announced the recipients of its December 2022 slate of funding. In detail, the production bursaries will back the making of five new fiction features (including one animated flick), three documentary features and three drama series.

The projects in receipt of the grants of the biggest magnitude are Magnus Martens’ There’s Something in the Barn [+see also:
interview: Magnus Martens
film profile] and Mikael Håfström’s Stockholm Bloodbath (3 million Norwegian crowns each, or circa €280,000). The first picture is being staged by Norway’s 74 Entertainment and sold by Charades. It stars Martin Starr and Amrita Acharia and will be distributed domestically by Scandinavian Film Distribution. The plot is as follows: when an American family moves to an old farm in Norway, nothing goes as planned. Their dream of the perfect life is shattered by someone who already lives on the farm – an ancient, grumpy barn elf who hates noise, bright lights and anything modern. The feature is being co-produced by Finland’s Don Films and Lithuania’s ArtBox, and co-financed by US-based XYZ Films, Business Finland, Coficine, the Finnish Film Foundation and Filminvest.

Meanwhile, Håfström’s feature is being produced, distributed and sold by Viaplay. The main cast includes Sophie Cookson, Claes Bang, Emily Beecham, Adam Pålsson, Matias Varela, Alba August and Ulrich Thomsen. Penned by Erlend Loe and Nora Landsrød, the movie revolves around two sisters, called Anne and Freja, who are seeking revenge against the men who killed their family at Anne's wedding. Their search takes them to Stockholm, where they become part of a mass execution that went down in history as the Stockholm Bloodbath. The English-language feature is being co-produced by Lone Korslund at Denmark’s Nordisk Film. Filming wrapped in mid-January.

The three other features being backed by the body are Kari Vidø’s Paranoia and Fanny Ovesen’s Laura, in receipt of 1.5 million Norwegian crowns each (€140,000), plus Lisa Marie Gamlem’s Cinderpaw, awarded with a 2.5 million Norwegian crown bursary (€233,000). Vidø’s film is set to enter pre-production in mid-February and is being produced by Denmark’s SF Studios. It centres on Lulu, who, after a near-death experience, has a feeling that someone or something is after her. Staged by Swedish outfit Kjellson & Wik, Laura sees the title character waking up naked after having had sex with a stranger during a couch-surfing trip through Europe. Without any memories of the night, she begins to explore her own boundaries, in denial of an encroaching fear – that the forgotten night wasn’t voluntary. The project is set to begin filming this summer, with delivery slated for autumn 2024. Finally, Cinderpaw is being produced by Norway’s Storm Films and distributed by Nordisk Film. The animated feature revolves around the titular puppy, the youngest of three, who is quite a “mummy’s boy” dog. Constantly tormented by his older brothers, Cinderpaw is a real underdog undertaking the biggest heist in canine history.

Next, the three shows awarded funding by the Nordic body are Jakob Rørvik’s 7x30-minute Dates in Real Life (2 million Norwegian crowns/€186,000), Carl Quist-Møller’s 26x3-minute The Sandbox (500,000 Norwegian crowns/€46,000), and Malene Vilstrup and Trylle Vilstrup’s 26x5-minute Woodlings (another 500,000 Norwegian crowns). The first show is commissioned by NRK, the other two by DR.

Moreover, the documentary features in receipt of production support are Terje Lind Bjørsvik, Frank Kjosås and Erland Edenholm’s Curtain Call (490,000 Norwegian crowns/€45,600), Emily Louisa Millan Eide’s The Renaissance Prince (500,000 Norwegian crowns/€46,000) and Kari Anne Moe’s Mina and the Radio Bandits (550,000 Norwegian crowns/€51,000).

Lastly, the fund has awarded 130,000 Norwegian crowns (€12,000) in distribution support, 170,000 Norwegian crowns (€16,000) to Myndform to back the dubbing into Icelandic of the Norwegian animated flick Three Robbers and a Lion as well as 650,000 Norwegian crowns (€60,500) to the Göteborg Film Festival for the organisation of the Nordic Film Market.