12/12/2013 - "A humorous, warm and human portrait of a man in an existential crisis," Norwegian director Gunnar Vikene's Here Is Harold will shortly conclude principal photography in Kalix, Sweden

"As if relations between Sweden and Norway weren't strained enough, our neighboring country will now carry more fuel to the fire," wrote Sweden's DN, introducing Norwegian director Gunnar Vikene's new feature, Here Is Harold, which has moved principal photography from Bergen, Norway, to Kalix, Sweden, where it will conclude on December 21.

Vikene, whose latest work, Vegas [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (2009), garnered him an Amanda - Norway's national film prize - for Best Original Screenplay, has also scripted Here Is Harold, the story of Harold and Marny who have been running their furniture shop in Bergen, and Harold has made it a point of honour to deliver high quality furniture.

When the Swedish IKEA chain opens a store in Åsane, competition gets too hard, and Harold is forced to shut down his business. Marny is severely affected by advanced Alzheimer's disease, Harold feels bankrupt in every sense - he attempts to set fire to himself and the premises, but fails. Instead he takes his gun and goes to Sweden in his old SAAB to kidnap IKEA founder Ingvar Kamprad, whose fault it is, in the tiny village of Almhult. On the way he meets Ebba, a 17-year-old local tough girl, who thinks it is an excellent plan and joins him.

Based on a novella by Norwegian author Frode Grytten, and described by Vikene as "a humorous, warm and human portrait of a man in an existential crisis," Here Is Harold stars Norwegian actor Bjørn Sundquist with Swedish actor Björn Granath as Kamprad, adding Fanny Ketter, Vidar Magnussen and Grethe Selius. The project is produced by Norwegian producer Maria Ekerhovd for Mer Film, with Sweden's Migma Film, and SF Norge will release domestically in October 2014.