Susan Wendt: Last News

Finnish director Juho Kuosmanen, who won the Cannes Grand Prize for Compartment No. 6 in 2021, will be guest of honor at the fifth Talent Village of France’s Les Arcs Film Festival, running December 10-17 in the French Alps.

Annika Pham Copenhagen-based TrustNordisk has picked up international rights on “My Brother,” a four-part mystery thriller produced by Banijay Group’s Swedish banner Filmlance International, credited for the crime hits “The Bridge”, “Fallen”, and family epic “Ronja the Robber’s Daughter.” Filming on the SVT series is due to begin in February 2025 in Norrbotten, Sweden’s northernmost county, with a delivery date set for the winter 2025. Billed as a northern Western, “My Brother” is based on bestselling author Karin Smirnoff’s debut novel, part of the Jana Kippo book trilogy sold to several countries including the U.K., Italy and Germany.

Brent Lang Executive Editor Magnolia Pictures has acquired U.S. rights to “Arctic Convoy,” a Norwegian naval thriller that is set in the middle of World War II. The film is from the producers of “The Wave” trilogy, so it’s a homecoming of sorts given that Magnolia released all three installments of that series.

International execs from Unifrance, MK2 and TrustNordisk kicked off the annual Zurich Summit on Saturday to discuss the importance of film festivals when promoting a title and if fests are drifting away from what works in cinemas. 

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent TrustNordisk has closed a U.K. deal on “Before It Ends,” a WW2-set drama with “Games of Thrones” star Pilou Asbæk, unfolding during the final stages of Nazi Occupation in Denmark. Signature Entertainment has bought U.K. rights to the movie. “Before It Ends,” whose trailer has just been unveiled (see below), was written and directed by Anders Walter, known for his Oscar-winning short film “Helium” and “I Kill Giants” which played at Toronto in 2017. The feature was produced by Nordisk Film Production in collaboration with Growing Studios. Asbæk stars alongside Danish talent Katrine Greis-Rosenthal (“A Taste of Hunger,” Ulrich Thomsen (“The Marco Effect”) and Morten Hee Andersen (“A Matter of Trust”), and German actor Peter Kurth (“Inventing Anna”).

Italy’s International Audiovisual Market MIA is expecting a return to full force this year ahead of its eighth edition in Rome from October 11 to15.

TrustNordisk has picked up international sales rights to Ole Bornedal’s psychological thriller sequel Nightwatch — Demons Are Forever, starring Nikolaj Coster-Waldau.

Marta Balaga TrustNordisk has acquired international sales rights to the upcoming horror drama “Handling the Dead,” Variety has found out at Haugesund.  Anonymous Content is repping U.S. rights.  Thea Hvistendahl’s feature debut, produced by Kristin Emblem and Guri Neby for Einar Film and currently shooting, will be presented at Helsinki’s Finnish Film Affair’s Nordic Selection sidebar in September. Its first still has also been shared with Variety. “We are thrilled to be working with Thea and Einar Film on this exciting genre project, [one] that will be spine-chilling and moving at the same time. We believe it has strong appeal both within festivals and distribution,” observed TrustNordisk’s managing director Susan Wendt. 

K.J. Yossman “The Kingdom Exodus,” the third and final instalment in Lars von Trier’s “The Kingdom” trilogy, has gotten its first teaser and poster.The first glimpse at the final season comes as TrustNordisk, which is handling international sales, announces the trilogy has sold to September Films in Benelux and Aerofilms in Czech Republic and Slovakia.

Spanish Filmin Buys Lars Von Trier’s ‘The Kingdom’ Trilogy

Elsa Keslassy International CorrespondentSpanish streaming service Filmin has acquired Lars von Trier’s “The Kingdom” trilogy, along with the full library of films by the director, from TrustNordisk.Von Trier is currently completing the third and final instalment of “The Kingdom,” his cult 1990s TV show about the good, evil and paranormal inside the neurosurgical ward of Denmark’s main hospital.Filmin is also acquiring the restored Seasons 1 and 2 of the show and will launch the complete series in Spain. The trilogy has already been acquired in several territories, including Germany and Austria (Koch Films), Japan (Synca Creations) and South Korea (AtNine).“We are pleased to experience this high level of interest in the series among buyers, who are evidently intrigued and excited about the series’ epic story, director and cast, which of course comes as no surprise,” said Susan Wendt, TrustNordisk’s managing director.

TrustNordisk has boarded suspense drama Birthday Girl, directed by Michael Noer and led by Danish star Trine Dyrholm. The company will handle international sales rights on the feature about a mother’s persevering quest for justice. 

Scandinavia’s TrustNordisk has picked up international sales rights to an upcoming Zentropa dramedy series about a struggling Danish agent to the stars.

Annika Pham Scandinavia’s leading sales outfit TrustNordisk has beefed up its Nordic film slate with the culinary doc “Nordic By Nature,” about the world’s most remote food destination – the two-star Michelin restaurant Koks in the Faroe Islands.The Danish film “Nordic By Nature” has already opened up festivals and audiences’ appetites, world premiering at San Sebastian and segueing to the Newport Beach Film Fest where the pic won an Audience Award for best culinary film.In his second doc in a Michelin Star series after “Michelin Stars – Tales from the Kitchen,” director Rasmus Dinesen captures the poetic mind of the young Faroese chef Poul Andrias Ziska, and his connection to the rugged local natural habitat and ancient traditions. “’We are excited to represent this fascinating film which gives us a unique and tasteful insight into the exquisite world of fine dining, and we look forward to bringing it to the global audience,” said TrustNordisk managing director Susan Wendt.TrustNordisk has a full slate of Nordic delights at the hybrid Göteborg Film Festival and parallel Nordic Film Market.On the heels of its Sundance world premiere, Christian Tafdrup’s psycho horror “Speak No Evil” will receive a market screening.