06/04/2006

Finland’s Klaus Härö, Norway’s Petter Næss, Denmark’s Nicolaj Arcel and Sweden’s Lukas Moodysson, Anders Nilsson and Agneta FagerströmOlsson have just been awarded a total of €2.3m in support from the Swedish Film Institute (SFI).

Den nya människan (lit. “The New Person”), the new film by the director of Mother of mine [+see also:
trailer
film profile] Klaus Härö, received the largest grant: SK 7m (€748,228). The drama deals with the controversial subject of forced sterilization in Sweden in the 1950s. It is being produced by FilmLance International , which previously served as the Swedish co-producer on Härö’s acclaimed feature debut Elina.

Agneta Fagerström Olsson’s Black Island Sisters, recipient of a SK5m (€534,356) grant, is the story of “three working class heroes” who during the day work in an iron factory in Luleå and at night play in a local band. The drama is being produced by John O Olsson for Giraff Film.

Petter Næss’s Hoppett (Hope) is an adaptation from Tsatsiki writer Moni Nilsson-Brännström (see news). One of Sweden’s biggest international stars, Peter Stormare, has agreed to star in the new film by the successful director of Elling [+see also:
trailer
film profile]. Happy Zingo is producing in Sweden with co-producer and domestic distributor Sonet Film, also in co-production in Norway with CineNord Production. The SFI gave the film €320,613 in support and the Norwegian Film Fund, €140,000.

Anders Nilsson’s When Darkness Falls (see news), recipient of the same SK3m (€320,613) SFI grant, is a thriller being produced by Sonet Film, which will release it next autumn. Two Memfis Film productions also received SFI support: Lukas Moodysson’s controversial Container (SK 2.5m), unveiled at this year’s Berlinale, and Nicolaj Arcel’s Island of Lost Souls, on which Memfis is a minority co-producer alongside majority Danish co-producer Zentropa Entertainment.