23/08/2007

Seven new Nordic films (four Danish and one from Iceland, Norway and Sweden) have been selected for the 32nd Toronto International Film Festival (September 6-15), one of the leading festivals in the world, used as a launching pad for many European films in North America.

Danish star actress Paprika Steen will have two good reasons to attend Toronto: as the lead in Ole Bornedal’s family thriller The Substitute [+see also:
trailer
film profile], screening in the Sprokets Zone Programme, and as one of the 13 upcoming filmmakers competing for the Diesel Discovery Award for best film in the Discovery programme, a prize that last year went to Joachim Trier’s Reprise [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Joachim Trier
interview: Karin Julsrud
film profile].

Steen will present her second feature With Your Permission, a dark comedy about marital discord starring Lars Brygmann and Sidse Babett Knudsen. The film is produced by Nordisk with support from TV2 Danmark and the Danish and Swedish film institutes. Nordisk is handling world sales and domestic distribution is set for September 28.

The Contemporary World Cinema section platforming new international voices has five Nordic films in its programme. Denmark is bringing Lone Scherfig’s Just Like Home [+see also:
trailer
film profile] and Jacob Thuesen’s Erik Nietzsche, the Early Years, both produced by Zentropa and sold by Trust Film Sales.

Trust will also represent Iceland’s Jar City [+see also:
trailer
film profile], directed by Baltasar Kormákur, recent winner of a Best Film and FICC Don Quixote Award at Karlovy Vary.

Norwegian filmmaker Petter Næss, who first attended Toronto in 2001 with Elling [+see also:
trailer
film profile], returns this year with the comedy Gone with the Woman [+see also:
trailer
film profile], which opened the Haugesund festival last Saturday (see news). SF International is handling world sales.

Sweden will be represented by Åke Sandgren and his relationship drama To Love Someone, starring Sofia Ledarp, Rolf Lassgård and Jonas Karlsson. The film is produced by Nordisk in cooperation with Film i Väst and SVT and support from the Swedish Film Institute. Nordisk is handling world sales.