214,000 Norwegians became best friends with five-year-olds Casper & Emma and their pets, Miss Rabbit and the Lion Kid, when Norwegian director Arne Lindter Næss’ kidpic Casper & Emma-Best Friends (photo) was launched domestically on February 15 by SF Norge.

The circle of friends was further extended, when Norwegian pubcaster NRK Super started airing the television series from the film, which after three episodes reaches 75% of children audiences. The 12 episodes will later be transmitted by Nordic pubcasters DR-Denmark, SVT-Sweden and YLE-Finland.

“Norwegian author Tor Åge Bringsværd’s stories of Casper & Emma are one of the biggest successes ever for children’s books; they will be back in the cinemas on January 24, in Casper & Emma On Holiday, which I am sure that both young and old audiences will love, too,” said Norwegian producer Silje Hopland Eik, of Cinenord Kidstory. The films are scripted by Alexander Eik.

Carsten and Petra are played by Elias Søvold Simonsen and Nora Amundsen, Carsten’s parents by Hilde Lyrån and Markus Tønseth, Petra’s mother by Janne Formoe – cabaret artist and jazz singer Hilde Louise Asbjørnsen lends her voice to Miss Rabbit, actor Thorbjørn Harr to the Lion Kid. And they are all controlled by Næss, the veteran director who signed six instalments of the Junior Olsen Gang franchise.

While Casper & Emma On Holiday is in post, Cinenord Kidstory partners Eik and Tanya Nanette Badendyck have just seen the green light for the autumn shoot of No 3, Casper & Emma’s Christmas, while they are planning the fourth title in the series, Casper & Emma On Holiday on Safari. – DVD and Blue-ray sales of the opening titles have exceeded 52,000.