15/04/2009

The Swedish Film Institute has awarded SEK 8m in production support to Johan Brisinger’s new drama Guardian Angel (Änglavakt), starring Swedish star Michael Nyqvist (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Niels Arden Oplev
interview: Søren Stærmose
film profile]), French actor Tchéky Karyo and former Bond girl Izabella Scorupco.

Brisinger made his breakthrough with the 2007 drama Suddenly [+see also:
trailer
film profile], which also starred Nyqvist. Guardian Angel tells the story of Ernst and Cecilia, whose tranquil, everyday routine is suddenly interrupted by an incident. As night falls, they meet Walter, who will change their lives in a fantastic way. The film is produced by Mikael Flodell for Drama Svecia, co-headed by Brisinger.

Kristian Petri’s thriller Bad Faith, starring Sonja Richter and Jonas Karlsson, also received the highest grant from the SFI’s latest round of production support (SEK 8m), while Othman Karim’s second feature Dear Alice, a drama about four individuals whose lives intertwine, was awarded SEK 7m. The film is produced by Malin Holmberg-Karim and Hans Lönnerheder for One Tired Brother Productions.

Two minority co-productions handled by Sweden’s Atmo Media Network were granted support: The Temptation of St Tony by Estonia’s top filmmaker Veiko Öunpuu, produced by Homeless Bob Production, was awarded SEK 1.3m; Michael Madsen’s Danish documentary Into Eternity, produced by Magic Hour, was awarded SEK 400,000.

The fourth instalment of the animated Little Ghost Laban series, produced by FilmLance International, was awarded SEK2.5m, and Babak Najafi’s feature debut Sebbe, produced by Garagefilm International, was awarded SEK 5.8m.