06/09/2013 - Swedish award-winning director Ella Lemhagen has a new take on Swedish author Max Lundgren’s international bestseller about the boy with money in his pockets - always

Swedish director Ella Lemhagen (photo), who earlier this year received the Swedish Film Institute’s Golden Sprout award for her extraordinary contributions to children’s films, has started principal photography for The Boy with the Golden Trousers, a new take on Swedish author Max Lundgren’s 1967 international bestseller, which she also scripted.

Now shooting in Göteborg and produced by Fredrik Wikstrom Nicastro for Stockholm’s Tre Vänner with Swedish regional film centre, Film i Väst, and Danish major Nordisk Film, The Boy with the Golden Trousers is the story of Mats, an ordinary guy, who is on summer holiday; one day he finds a pair of pants, which have pockets full of money – always. The world is at his feet.

Compared to classic adventures such as Stand by Me and ET, Lundgren’s novel was filmed by Swedish director Leif Krantz in 1975 for a television series which Swedish pubcaster SVT has aired and re-aired numerous times. The new version will have its Swedish premiere during the autumn of 2014.

Starring Luke Holgersson in a dream roleof a boy who just reaches for money in his pockets – and it is always there - with Olle Krantz, Nina Sand and Shanti Rooney Mats, The Boy with the Golden Trousers is in the hands of Lemhagen, who has been a popular name amongst young audiences since her first movie The Dream Prince (1996).

Her 1999 feature, Tzatziki, Mum and the Police, won her four Guldbagger – Sweden’s national film award – including Best Film and Best Director, in addition to two awards (ao the Crystal Bear) at the Berlin International Film Festival. Last year she received three Guldbagger for The Crown Jewels [+see also:
trailer
interview: Alicia Vikander
film profile].