04/04/2006

The fourth episode of The Junior Olsen Gang children’s film franchise, Olsenbanden jr. og sølvskatten and the sequel to the family film Svein And The Rat have just received €1,1m and €1m support each from the Norwegian Film Fund in its latest round of awards, along with the romantic comedy Venus And Mars which received €681,091.

Arne Lindtner Næss who wrote and directed the last two films about the Junior Olsen Gang is again attached to this new project with producer Rune H.Trondsen. The €2,2m film produced by Nordisk Film will be ready on February 9, 2007. The three previous films of the series have passed the 1 million admissions together in Norway and the third film: The Junior Olsen Gang At The Circus is the most popular Norwegian film of 2006 with over 216,658 tickets sold in seven weeks.

The €2m film Svein And The Rat Between Heaven and Earth is the sequel to the children’s film Svein And The Rat currently ranked number 10 at the Norwegian Top 20 with almost 90,000 admissions in four weeks. Both films based on Marit Nicolaysen’s children books are produced by Maipo Film. Vibeke Ringen who just finished shooting the comedy Maria’s Men for Maipo is going to direct the new adventures of Svein and his pet rat Halvorsen set to premiere in Norway on December 26, 2006. Both Olsenbanden jr. og sølvskatten and Svein And The Rat Between Heaven and Earth will be released domestically by Columbia Tri Star/Nordisk Film Distribution with Nordisk Film Sales handling worldwide distribution.

Venus And Mars will be directed by Eva Dahr, previously Short Film Consultant at the Norwegian Film Fund and herself an experienced short film-maker. The €1,3m film ‘about women and for women’ according to production company Cinenord, will premiere in Norway for Valentine’s day on February 14, 2007.