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PRODUCTION Norway

Les Films du Losange sells King of Devil’s Island

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Marius Holst’s King of Devil’s Island, which was just awarded €600,000 by Eurimages, the biggest grant to a Norwegian film since I Am Dina [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
in 2000, will be represented internationally by Paris-based Les Films du Losange, according to producer Karin Julsrud (4½ Production).

The NOK 43.3m (€4.5m) film, currently in pre-production, is set in the early 20th century, on Bastøy Island, in the fjord of Oslo. There, a group of young outcast boys live under the rule of a sadistic superintendent and his guards. Instead of being educated, the boys, aged 11-18, are used as cheap manual labour.

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Erling, another young outcast, arrives on the island, but with a different agenda. He has beaten to death a military police officer in self-defence and will be transferred to an adult prison, leading to his certain death. His only solution is to escape.

King of Devils Island is a very powerful film that has touched us,” according to a statement from the sales company. “With many action scenes, it is an arthouse film that will also attract a wider audience. It can be targeted to movie lovers who like independent films but younger people will also be attracted by the story.”

The film is co-produced by St Paul Film (Sweden), Opus Film (Poland) and Mact Productions (France), with support from the Norwegian and Swedish Film Institutes, as well as France’s National Film Centre (CNC). Domestic distribution will be handled by Euforia Distribution in autumn 2010.

King of Devil’s Island is the most ambitious feature film ever produced by Oslo-based 4½, set up some ten years ago by directors Holst (Mirush [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
, Cross My Heart and Hope to Die) and Pål Sletaune (Junk Mail) with producers Håkon Øverås and Turid Øversveen. Today, the company also includes producers Aagot Skjeldal and Julsrud, who came on board four years ago with the film Reprise [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Joachim Trier
interview: Karin Julsrud
film profile
]
.

4½ aims to produce around three feature films a year, with international partners in Europe and/or the US.

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