02/09/2008

Jakob Thuesen, Dome Karukoski, Baltasar Kormákur, Stian Kristiansen and Roy Anderson are the five Nordic filmmakers whose latest works have been nominated for the Nordic Council Film Prize (NCFP) 2008.

The award worth €47,000 will be shared on October 15 between the director, the scriptwriter and the producer of the winning film.

Thuesen’s The Early-Years-Erik Nietsche Part 1 representing Denmark, is based on Lars von Trier’s script. The film was produced by Sisse Graum Jørgensen and Marie Gade for Zentropa. Sales are handled by TrustNordisk. The Finnish entry The Home of the Dark Butterflies, was written by Marko Leino (Me & Morrison) and produced by Markus Selin (Solar Films). The coming of age story sold 130,000 tickets in Finland. Sales are handled by TrustNordisk.

White Night Wedding [+see also:
trailer
film profile] directed and co-written by Kormákur with Ólafur Egill Egilsson, is the Icelandic film of the year. The film produced by Agnes Johansen and Kormákur for Blueeyes, is sold by Celluloid Dreams.

Kristiansen’s The Man Who Loved Yngve [+see also:
trailer
film profile] representing Norway, was just handed out four Amanda Awards (including Best Film) in Haugesund. The coming of age drama based on scriptwriter Tore Renberg’s own novel was produced by Yngve Sæther (Motly AS). Sales are handled by Nonstop Sales.

The Swedish flag at the 2008 NCFP will naturally be carried by Andersson’s tragic comedy You, the Living [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Pernilla Sandström
interview: Roy Andersson
film profile], last year’s Swedish entry at the Oscars. The film was scripted by Andersson and produced by Pernilla Sandström (Studio 24). The Co-production office sold it to some 30 territories.

For the first time this year, the NCFP nominations will be celebrated with special film events in the five Nordic capitals, a promotion initiated by Nordisk Film & TV Fond which administers the NCFP on behalf of the Nordic Council. Last’ year’s winner of the NCFP was the Danish film The Art of Crying [+see also:
trailer
film profile].