25/11/2011

Both feature debuts on low budgets (€1-1.1 million), Norwegian directors Hanne Myren’s Jealousy (pictured) and Eirik Svensson’s Someone Like You ”could launch a new wave of Norwegian cinema where high artistic ambitions combine with a strong audience appeal”, according to Norwegian Film Institute Commissioner Thomas Robsahm - the institute has chipped in $1.6 million (NOK 8.5million) for the productions. ”Myren and Svensson cast their films before they are scripted – actors and producers are involved from the early stages of the idea,” Robsahm added. Both directors have a back catalogue of shorts and documentaries, Myren’s full-length Girls won Amandas – Norway’s national film prize – for Best Documentary and Best Film for Children and Young Audiences in 2007.

Produced by Brede Hovland for Motlys AS on a €1 million budget, Jealousy is the story of a young woman and ”her longing to be loved and fear of being rejected – the jealousy, uncertainty and cowardice we usually prefer to keep to ourselves,” said Myren, who scripted the film herself. It will shoot from February and will be released domestically on November 2 2012 by Nordisk Film Distribusjon AS.

Svensson wrote the screenplay for Someone Like You with Jyrki Väisänen - a Finnish-Norwegian love story with a surprise ending. Set in Oslo, Helsinki, Istanbul and Berlin, starring Pamela Tola and Espen Klouman Høiner, the €1.1 million feature will be produced by Karin Julsrud and Linn Kirkenær for 4½ Fiksjon. Filming from next month (December), Svensson’s first will be released in Norway by Nordisk Film Distribusjon ASin September 2012.

Jealousy and Someone Like You are among the estimated 20-25 releases of Norwegian features scheduled for next year. The Norwegian Film Institute’s change of regulations for state funding sparked off an unusual large number of domestic features in 2011 – initially 42 premieres were announced, eventually they were reduced to 35. Now the situation is returning to normal.