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Exclusive: Trom creator Torfinnur Jákupsson is launching a UK indie and has unveiled a Nordic Noir set in London’s Canary Wharf on its debut slate.

The Scandi creative, who opened the first film and TV studio in the Faroe Islands, has launched London-based development company Red Herring Story, which will develop high-end scripted and unscripted thrillers with an international co-production focus. Red Herring will be a UK affiliate of Jákupsson’s Faroe Islands-based GRÓ Studios.

Red Herring launches with “a slate of socially conscious crime narratives,” it said, with one of its first projects being a corporate crime thriller set in London’s Canary Wharf, delving into greenwashing, global finance, and political influence, which the company termed a “Nordic Noir in the city.”

Red Herring Story is also introducing its Faroese equivalent Roykstovan, a reimagined writers’ room inspired by Faroese storytelling traditions. Historically, the ‘roykstova’ was the communal heart of the home,...

An Irish crime drama, a Brazilian heist thriller and a Nigerian fantasy about a man reborn with the powers of Jesus Christ are among the projects at this year’s Seriesmakers, a pitching and mentoring session that runs as part of the international TV event Series Mania Forum, which runs March 25-27 in Lille.

10 international projects from director-producer and director-writer teams will take part in the event, pitching their series ideas, with the top project winning the Beta & Kirch Foundation Award, including a €50,000 ($55,000) grant that will help the winning team collaborate with European production and sales house Beta Group in developing a pilot script and a full project package for their show.

The selected projects span multiple genres and countries (see below), from the Finnish foodie comedy Le Bouton D’Or, from veteran arthouse director Mika Kaurismäki (L.A. Without a Map, Road North) to the Spanish political thriller The...

“Falke Motors,” from “Pusher” co-scribe Jens Dahl, “Stick ‘Em Up” by the creators of Series Mania winner “Blackport” and “The Wonderful Golem,” from “The Cakemaker” director Ofir Raul Graizer, figure among a typically high-caliber, talent-studded lineup at this year’s third edition of Series Mania Seriesmakers.

A unique mentoring program for filmmakers making their TV creator debut – or seeking in the case of “Blackport’s” creators to hone their craft – 2025 also sees Seriesmakers adopting a new commercial edge as creators and Series Mania itself seeks to forefront shows which, without abandoning their artistic ambition, seek to cut through a still immensely competitive TV drama sector in a buyers’ market.

Speakers at this year’s edition have featured show runners, writers or producers of iconic titles which have shaped modern TV fiction: creator Christian Schwochow (“The Crown”), Quoc Dang Tran (“Call My Agent!”), multiple award winner Frank Doelger (“Game Of Thrones...

Scandinavia does many things really well: They've nailed work-life balance, they've got "hygge," which centers life on the feelings of cozy comfort and presence with the people they love, and oh boy do they kick out some fantastic grisly murder dramas. For a part of the world that consistently ranks in the top 10 of the happiest countries in the world, they sure make some great crime shows. The latest offering from Sweden is called The Åre Murders and is #2 on Netflix's charts.

The show is based on the books "Hidden in Snow" and "Hidden in Shadows" by Swedish author Viveca Sten. Karin Gidfors and Jimmy Lindgren wrote the series, and it's co-directed by Joakim Eliasson and Alain Darborg.

The show follows police officer Hanna Ahlander who, after being suspended from duty in Stockholm, moves to her sister's sister’s vacation home in a Swedish ski resort town called Åre.

Welcome to Global Breakouts, Deadline’s strand in which, each fortnight, we shine a spotlight on the TV shows and films killing it in their local territories. The industry is as globalized as it’s ever been, but breakout hits are appearing in pockets of the world all the time and it can be hard to keep track… So we’re going to do the hard work for you.

This week we profile the world’s first ever high-end Gaelic TV drama series, which comes from the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. With only around 60,000 Gaelic-language speakers left in the world, The Island is doing wonders for representation and at the same time constitutes so much more — an entertaining, twisty crime thriller featuring a dose of star power in the form of Industry breakout Sagar Radia. Commissioners and producers tell us the show makes a statement, and they are now setting their sights on international sales.

The Dcu's Sinestro has arrived. In the upcoming series Lanterns, the DC supervillain will be played by Ulrich Thomsen.

Per Deadline, it's been reported that Ulrich Thompsen has taken on the role of the live-action Sinestro in Lanterns, a Dcu series that's in development at HBO. The Sinestro character is a former Green Lantern gone rogue, and in the comics, he served as a mentor to Hal Jordan, played by Kyle Chandler in the TV series. Aaron Pierre is also starring as the John Stewart Green Lantern, picking up as John and Hal investigate a murder mystery. The serise also stars Kelly Macdonald as Sheriff Kerry, Garret Dillahunt as William Macon, and Poorna Jagannathan as Zoe.

Related 10 Best Green Lantern Wars

Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps have fought in a few galactic wars against DC's most powerful cosmic threats, and even against each other.

"I mean, I would...

Exclusive: Ulrich Thomsen has been tapped to recur in the HBO, Wbtv and DC Studios series Lanterns as DC supervillain Sinestro.

The series follows new recruit John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) and Lantern legend Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler), two intergalactic cops drawn into a dark, earth-based mystery as they investigate a murder in the American heartland.

Sinestro is a former Green Lantern who turned rogue and is described as ruthless yet undeniably charming. Sinestro’s manipulative nature drives his enduring obsession with his former mentee, Hal Jordan. Sinestro was created by John Broome and Gil Kane and first appeared in the comic book Green Lantern, Volume 2, #56 released in 1961.

The previously announced cast also includes Kelly Macdonald as Sheriff Kerry; Garret Dillahunt as modern cowboy William Macon; and Poorna Jagannathan as Zoe, a potential love interest for John.

Lanterns is co-written by Chris Mundy, Damon Lindelof and Tom King.

Ulrich Thomsen as Hannis, in Danish TV series “Trom,” Season One. Courtesy of MHz Choice

The somber crime drama series from Danish TV, “Trom” Season One,” offers several plusses and minuses in its six-episode package. Let’s start with the good side:

Ulrich Thomsen stars as a veteran journalist Hannis, who’d left his Faroe Island home many years before due to events that wore out his welcome. Thomsen has garnered about 40 awards and nominations worldwide in his distinguished career. He brings a weathered gravitas to this role. He’s probably best-known in the US as Kai, the almost Bondian villain in our excellent “Banshee” series, and is equally effective here as the protagonist.

Hannis has achieved much, but his investigations into improper or illegal practices of the rich and powerful have made him something of a social pariah. He receives a letter from a woman back home who claims...

Viaplay Lands in Germany

Viaplay Content Distribution has launched its Viaplay channel as an add-on subscription to Prime Video via Prime Video Channels in Germany. Prime Video Channel subscribers can access Viaplay’s offering of Scandinavian and European series and films starting today, Oct. 22.

Viaplay’s German offering includes high-quality and impactful Nordic series and films, including award-winning Nordic noir dramas such as “End of Summer,” “Face to Face,” “The Bridge,” “Gåsmamman,” “Furia,” “Trom,” “Stockholm Requiem,” “The Sandhamn Murders,” “Unit One,” “The Team,” “Wallander,” and “Darkness: Those Who Kill.” The platform will also host three films from the Millennium/The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo franchise.

Other titles included at launch are the YA series “Threesome” and “Delete Me”; dramas “Seaside Hotel,” “Love Me,” “Pörni Seasons,” “The Beach Hotel” and “Lyckoviken”; and documentaries “The Prize of Silence,” “Operation Cannabis” and “Wozniacki & Lee.”

BBC Back Catalog Deals

BBC Studios has closed...

Seriesmakers, twinning Series Mania, Europe’s biggest TV fest, and European film-tv powerhouse Beta Group, is opening up its selection criteria to embrace directors of box office smashes or hits at festivals beyond “A” list events.

Launching 2022 as a project-based mentorship program for film directors aiming to become TV series creators, Seriesmakers has fast consolidated as one of Europe’s top-notch training facilities.

“Game of Thrones” producer-director Frank Doelger, “Babylon Berlin” producer Stefan Arndt, Ron Leshem and “Narcos” creator Chris Brancato featured as speakers at its 2023-24 edition.

Led by Cannes Grand Prix winner Juho Kuosmanen (“Compartment No. 6”), seven of the 10 TV projects showcased at its first 2022-23 edition were from directors who had been selected for the Cannes Film Festival.

Now, as it prepares its third edition whose call for applications closes June 20, Seriesmakers is aiming for a larger inclusivity.

For its first and second editions, being chosen in...

Less than two months from the end of its U.S. streaming service, Nordic entertainment hub Viaplay is back up and running as a channel on Prime Video. If you have Prime Video, you can check out Viaplay with a free 7-day trial. If you don’t have Prime Video, it’s easy to give that a try with a free 30-day trial.

7-Day Free Trial $5.99+ / month viaplay via amazon.com

Prime Video is home to dozens of great add-on channels, and nearly all of them have weeklong free trials.

Viaplay’s initial launch in the U.S. and Canada helped push the streamer’s international subscriber total to 7.64 million, but the honeymoon was short-lived. In June 2023, Viaplay downgraded its future financial forecasts and CEO Anders Jensen resigned; Jorgen Madsen Lindemann, who was the former CEO of Viaplay’s previous parent company, took over the chief executive role.

Despite the C-suite drama,...

Seriesmakers, a joint initiative of Series Mania, Europe’s biggest TV festival, and European film-tv powerhouse Beta Group, has revealed the 10 top-notch project lineup of the second edition of its novel and high-powered mentoring program for filmmakers making their TV creator debut.

This year’s Seriesmakers features in development drama series from Oscar winner Kevin Macdonald (“George Blake”), behind “The Last King Of Scotland,” and from Finnish director Mikko Myllylahti, who burst onto the scene co-writing with Juho Kuosmanen the latter’s “The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Makki,” a 2016 Cannes Un Certain Regard winner.

Also in the mix is the highly courted Kaouther Ben Hania, a double Oscar nominee for the “compelling, ambitious hybrid” “Four Daughters,” said Variety, in the doc category and the “The Man Who Sold His Skin” (2020), Tunisia’s entry in international feature.

In all, however, nine of the ten directors winning berths this...

Fans of Viaplay’s titles will be able to continue watching via a handful of American partners.

Six months after being initially announced, fans of Nordic Noir living in the United States will have to find a new streaming source for their favorite Swedish police series as Viaplay confirmed on Thursday that it would officially be shutting down its streaming service in the U.S. on Thursday, Feb. 29. The move to shutter its service in the U.S. and the United Kingdom was initially announced in July 2023 as the company lost one million customers worldwide leading to a number of leadership changes at the company. Despite the closing of Viaplay’s standalone streamer, viewers will still be able to watch the brand’s titles via domestic partners.

The Sweden-based company will shut down its streaming service in the United States next month. Despite the streaming closure, domestic viewers will still...

Before getting out of the business of producing scripted content, Cinemax's lineup of shows was truly phenomenal.

The network brought great shows like Strikeback, Warrior (now on Max), and Banshee to life.

These shows were well-written, with great characters and stories. The action was top-tier, making action buffs weak on the knees with every sequence.

Banshee's narrative, storyline, direction, and enigmatic characters stood out. The show is one of the most underrated shows from the 2010s.

After seeing its lead male actor's phenomenal skills in a currently airing show, I was compelled to check up on the cast and see what they've been up to in the years since the show ended.

Antony Starr -- Lucas Hood

Relatively unknown at the time, New Zealand actor Antony Starr embodied the role of Lucas Hood.

Fresh out of jail after a robbery, becoming a regular citizen was the least of...

Danish IDFA winner Phie Ambo (“Family”) will be attending Amsterdam’s major doc showcase for the 8th time with “Fire, Water, Earth, Air,” bowing at the Forum Pitch alongside 20 other projects. Ahead of their industry pitch Nov. 13, Ambo and her producer Rikke Tambo Andersen of Copenhagen-based Tambo Film, have just secured two co-producers: Mantaray Film Sweden’s Stina Gardell and leading Faroese producer Jon Hammer of Kyk.

Securing Swedish and Faroese partners was paramount for the making of Ambo’s first creative documentary conceived as a fully-fledged collaboration with filmmaking teams in Sweden, the Faroe Islands and Norway, on top of the helmer’s own Danish crew.

The four elements-focused “Fire, Water, Earth, Air” is a poetic portrait of climate change in the global North, weaving together scientific findings with stories of everyday life in the four nations, with each country representing one element.

Nature-lover Ambo, credited for the “human...

American customers will have to say goodbye to Viaplay. The Nordic streaming service reported its second-quarter earnings on Thursday morning and revealed that it had shrunk to 6.6 million subscribers. That’s a decrease of around 1 million over the 7.64 million global customers the service claimed at the end of Q1 in April.

7-Day Free Trial $5.99 / month viaplay.com

The real story to come from Viaplay’s earnings report was the announcement that it was pulling its streaming platform out of the United States and United Kingdom. Henceforward, Viaplay will focus on the Nordic and Dutch markets, while offering certain content internationally through third parties with Viaplay Select. The company will also lay off around 25% of its employee base in an attempt to get on the right financial footing.

“We are today announcing a new strategy and plan, which includes, but is not limited to, focusing on our core Nordic, Netherlands and Viaplay Select operations,...

At 83, Swedish sailor Sven Yrvind has become known for his solo voyages across the oceans, from Ireland to New Zealand. Some think he’s crazy. But in “Philosopher of the Sea,” streaming on Viaplay beginning on July 11, the story behind the story is an exploration into human singularity and endurance. And Yrvind built the boat himself!

Watch the “Philosopher of the Sea” trailer

In “Black Sand” a police officer on her first case discovers a crime around in desolate Iceland. But what first appears as an accident, leads her to suspect a serial killer. The four-episode series makes its U.S. debut on July 20.

“Thunder in My Heart” returns to Viaplay next month. The comedy focuses on 22-year-old Sigrid - nicknamed Sigge - and her group of friends. The group is confronted with the unexpected demands of adulthood as they attempt to come to terms with their own identities, passions,...

The film is the first to be shot entirely on the remote island of Suðuroy.

Faroese director Sakaris Stórá has started shooting his second feature, The Last Paradise On Earth, in Hvalba on the Faroe Islands. The film is the first to be shot entirely on the remote island of Suðuroy, with the shoot running May 15-June 30.

Exploring themes of social and environmental changes, the story follows as man as he navigates work at the local fish factory, which is facing closure, and his personal life as his closest friends reveal plans to move abroad and his sister needs his attention.

This summer, Nordic streamer Viaplay is offering both dark thrillers and documentaries. In the satirical Scandinavian horror “No Angel” streaming July 6, a popular 17-year-old girl does the usual round of parties and boys — with a twist. She’s also a serial killer.

Watch the trailer for ‘No Angel’:

In “A Road Less Traveled” acclaimed actress-director Liv Ullmann looks back on decades of a successful career. In the documentary — streaming on June 22 — Ullman recounts the struggles she endured to gain respect in the entertainment industry. Some of her famous collaborators are also interviewed, including Cate Blanchett, Jessica Chastain, John Lithgow, and Jeremy Irons.

Coming to Viaplay this Summer: June 1 The Architect June 8 One of the Boys June 22 A Road Less Travelled July 6 No Angel July 20 Black Sands Aug. 17 Fenris Aug. 31 Face to Face, Season 3 7-Day Trial viaplay.com Viaplay

Viaplay is a video on demand service focused on Nordic storytelling...

Exclusive: Trom creator Torfinnur Jákupsson is turbocharging his quest to place the Faroe Islands on the global film and TV map.

It’s been a whirlwind year for the man who first came up with the idea for hit thriller Trom while working at a fish factory when he was 16. Deadline can reveal his now-one-year-old production shingle GRÓ Studios – the first of its kind in the Faroes – has built a development slate featuring around half a dozen projects including one set in the U.S. and UK.

The writer-producer is now a fixture at major TV and film markets and will be shopping the new projects over the coming months.

More than anyone, Jákupsson can be considered the person responsible for beginning the quest to put this tiny Scandinavian Island – population 53,000 – on the global screen map, and things were given a further shot in the arm recently with a much-desired...

The Nordic streaming service Viaplay is bringing a slew of new titles to its platform in May. On May 4, the second season of the young adult drama “Delete Me” will premiere. After suffering humiliation from a lover, a woman (played Sofia Tjelta Sydness) eager for fame sells intimate photos of herself online.

Watch the trailer for “Delete Me”:

Coming on May 11 will be the North American premiere of “The Congregation,” based on the true story of the Knutby Christian cult in the early 2000s in a small Swedish town. What at first appeared idyllic, is soon revealed as abuse and murder.

Another North American premiere will come to Viaplay on May 25. “Riding in Darkness” is a survival thriller set in the world of elite equestrian competition. Based on true events, three women with different connections to one man need to find a way to get out of the monster’s grip.

The Nordic streaming service Viaplay is carving out a niche for itself. Viaplay released its earnings report for the first quarter of 2023 on Tuesday, and it shows that the streamer’s international expansion has been a successful strategy so far.

Viaplay now has 7.64 million global users, a figure that’s up 60% year-over-year from 2021’s 4.78M. Viaplay saw an increase of 325,000 subscribers over the previous quarter, an increase that was no doubt aided by the addition of several markets to its distribution network.

7-Day Free Trial $5.99 / month viaplay.com

The biggest market that saw a Viaplay rollout recently was the United States. Viaplay launched in the U.S. on Feb. 22, and it’s reasonable to assume that much of the service’s subscriber gains over the last quarter are due to its domestic launch. Overall, Viaplay is now available in 33 markets across the globe.

More than half of Viaplay’s customers are still Nordic subscribers,...

If you’re a user of a Roku streaming device, or if you’ve perhaps bought one of the company’s new in-house manufactured TV sets, you now have a new entertainment option at your fingertips as long as you live in the United States, United Kingdom or Canada.

Thanks to a multiyear agreement between the two sides, the Nordic streaming service Viaplay is now available for users on all Roku devices. Viaplay offers U.S. and Canadian users over 1,500 hours of acclaimed series and films, alongside curated third-party content. A subscription runs $5.99 per month and is completely ad-free.

7-Day Free Trial $5.99 / month viaplay.com

Viaplay is the world’s leading producer of Nordic Noir - premium drama from the Nordic region - and its offering spans top-class crime thrillers, young adult shows, historical dramas, documentaries, and much more. The Viaplay content now accessible to Roku users in North America...

Tobi De Graaff Joins Sky Studios

Veteran UK exec Tobi de Graaff is joining Sky Studios as Senior VP of Commercial. The former BBC Studios Director of Commissioning and Co-Production has most recently been running his own business, Beiboot Representation, but is now stepping into an international role focused on commercial and co-production partnerships, including Sky’s distribution relationship with Comcast cousin NBCUniversal Global Distribution. He’ll work closely with Sky Studios’ editorial and commissioning teams across Europe. He’ll also take charge of the international scripted team, which is currently headed by Jason Simms in the UK and LA-based SVP Rebecca Segal, accorifn to an internal note from Sky Studios COO Caroline Cooper seen by Deadline. Both Simms and Segal will report to de Graaf, who has also worked for ITV Studios, when he joins in July.

Chris Kattan Joins Indie LA Drama ‘Angel City’

Chris Kattan (Saturday Night Live...

How far would you travel across the face of the Earth to find yourself? That’s the question Karen Blixen must answer in “The Dreamer- Becoming Karen Blixen,” the new series coming to Viaplay on Thursday, March 30. The story follows Blixen as she travels thousands of miles, only to find that the real journey lies deep within herself. You can watch with a 7-Day Free Trial of Viaplay.

How to Watch 'The Dreamer - Becoming Karen Blixen' Premiere When: Thursday, March 30, 2023 Where: Viaplay Stream: Watch with a 7-Day Free Trial of Viaplay. 7-Day Free Trial$5.99 / month viaplay.com About 'The Dreamer - Becoming Karen Blixen' Premiere

“The Dreamer- Becoming Karen Blixen” tells the story of one woman’s struggle to find her place in life while freeing herself from the expectations of family and society. The series takes place in the 1930s and follows Karen Blixen...

Nordic streaming service Viaplay has launched in the United States with content known as Nordic Noir, including both crime thrillers and dark comedies. This month, the streamer is offering “Cell 8,” a complicated six-episode thriller about a man, presumed dead, who is later arrested on a ferry in Finland. The story, coming April 13, zigzags between Scandinavia and the U.S. as dangerous events unfold.

Check out the “Cell 8” trailer:

Also coming to Viaplay in April will be the rom-com “R.S.V.P.” The ensemble film features close 30something friends looking for happiness and love — which always seems to elude them. The movie will be available to stream beginning on April 25.

Watch the trailer for “R.S.V.P.”: 7-Day Free Trial $5.99 / month viaplay.com Coming in April: April 3 Detective Maria Kallio (Maria Kallio) - Season 1 April 10 Natascha Kampusch - A Lifetime in Prison – Documenary, Season 1 April 12 As in Heaven (Du som er i himlen) April...

Viaplay’s newly launched U.S. streaming service has unveiled the trailer for its anticipated original crime series “Cell 8” which will premiere exclusively in North America on the platform on April 13.

The 6-episode series shot in both Swedish and English, and revolves around the justice system and death penalty.

“Cell 8” tells the story of a man presumed dead who is arrested on a ferry between Sweden and Finland. Detectives Mariana Hermansson (Mimosa Willamo) and Ewert Grens (Leonard Terfelt) who proceed to the arrest are thrown into a mysterious and increasingly dark series of events. The case soon reveals a personal connection not only to Hermansson herself, but to a Death Row prisoner in the U.S. and a grieving parent consumed by the quest for revenge.

Viaplay’s U.S. platform bowed on Feb 22 with a large offering of new Nordic series ranging from the Danish crime drama “Trom” starring...

To celebrate the release of Trom on Viaplay today, we spoke with lead actor Ulrich Thomsen, the star of the show.

Trom revolves around journalist Hannis who is contacted by his estranged daughter Sonja – an animal rights activist who is being stalked and hounded. When Sonja’s body is found, Hannis has to try and investigate whilst

We spoke with Ulrich about getting into Hannis’ character, the murky world of investigative journalism, and how difficult it is to carry a body through freezing water.

Viaplay arrives in the US on the 22nd of February, 2023.

The post Trom Interview – Ulrich Thomsen on the darkness at the heart of the show, and hopes for season 2 appeared first on HeyUGuys.

Nordic programmer Viaplay has launched a streaming service in the U.S., delivering subscribers thousands of hours of programming for $5.99 a month.

So-called “Nordic noir” series like Trom, Furia, Threesome and Exit are among the marquee originals available on the platform. Trom is a crime drama starring Ulrich Thomsen, Furia is a Norwegian thriller and Threesome is a Swedish drama co-starring Lucien Laviscount, who is best known for Emily in Paris.

Upcoming originals ticketed for Viaplay include biopic The Dreamer – Becoming Karen Blixen starring Connie Nielsen; Hilma, directed by Academy Award nominee Lasse Hallström; and English-Swedish drama series Cell 8.

Viaplay had previously had a U.S. presence via Comcast’s Xfinity broadband and TV outlets, but the new service is its first direct-to-consumer offering here. Subtitles will be provided for the series, films and documentaries on the platform, and new subscribers will be eligible for a 7-day free trial.

Viaplay, the Nordic streamer that is a big producer of original programming, has launched its service in the U.S., promising consumers Nordic Noir hit content and “premium Scandinavian storytelling” for $5.99 per month.

U.S. customers can sign up with a seven-day free trial, the company said on Wednesday, Feb. 22. Series available exclusively on Viaplay include Danish crime drama Trom, starring Ulrich Thomsen, Norway’s Furia, which explores the world of right-wing extremism, London-set Swedish relationship drama Threesome with Lucien Laviscount and financial drama Exit, one of Norway’s most streamed series. (The streamer’s film and TV content is all available subtitled in English.)

Film titles include A Man Called Ove, which was recently remade as A Man Called Otto with Tom Hanks, Academy Award-winning dark comedy Another Round starring Mads Mikkelsen (Casino Royale), as well as all three original films from the Millennium/The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo trilogy.

The aim is to attract major international productions.

The Faroe Islands is dramatically raising its film reimbursement cap per year, going from a paltry €25,000 annually to €540,000 (Dkk 4m).

A new government elected in December is still putting the final touches on exact rules for the reimbursement, but it is expected to be in effect from March. It offers a rebate of 25 for budgets up to €500,000. For larger-budget productions, a 35 incentive may be possible.

Located halfway between Scotland and Iceland in the Northeast Atlantic, the Faroe Islands - population 53,000 – are an archipelago of 18 mountainous islands.

Tina i Dali Wagner had been...

Partly featured in James Bond’s “No Time to Die,” the rugged Faroe Islands in the North Atlantic and their 53,000 inhabitants, were the setting and main inspiration for “Trom”, the first ever Faroese TV series, majority produced by Denmark’s REinvent Studios.

The crime show’s creator Torfinnur Jákupsson and joint-producer Jón Hammer have now used the international success of “Trom,” commissioned by Viaplay and co-produced by Arte/Zdf, to up their game.

The duo has launched Tórshavn-based GRÓ Studios, the first film and television studio of its kind in the Faroe Islands, covering development through production and sales.

Jákupsson, who acts as CEO and head of development, said his joint venture with Hammer focuses on “local talent and local stories with a strong sense of genre and setting, written and produced for a global audience.”

“Our goal is to help develop the Faroese film and series industry to a global standard,...

Tom Hardy To Narrate Sky And Netflix Nature Doc ‘Predators’

Mad Max: Fury Road and Venom star Tom Hardy will narrate the upcoming Sky Nature and Netflix doc series Predators. The show, unveiled earlier this year, is the first co-pro between Sky and Netflix and comes from Sky-owned True to Nature and Sky Studios, in association with the streamer. It follows five apex predators as they face the ultimate test of survival in drastically changing environments across the globe. “To bring Predators to life with one of the UK’s most gifted and reputable talents, who has a passion for environmental causes, is a great pleasure,” said Sky’s Director of Documentaries and Factual, Poppy Dixon. In the UK, Germany and Italy, the show is set to launch on Sky Nature and streaming service Now in December. Sky’s Comcast stablemate NBCUniversal Global Distribution is selling the show internationally.

European...

TrustNordisk has snapped up international sales rights to the new Danish crime thriller “Boundless,” based on fiction guru Jussi Adler-Olsen’s “Den Grænseløse,” his sixth novel in the Department Q series.

Danish helmer Ole Christian Madsen, credited for the HBO series “Banshee” (2013-16) and WWII drama “Flame & Citron” starring Mads Mikkelsen, has taken up the challenge of bringing Adler-Olsen’s suspenseful universe to the silver screens, working from a script by Jakob Weis.

Christian Madsen will reunite with his “Banshee” actor Ulrich Thomsen. The latter reprises the role of detective Carl Mørck, which he played in Nordisk Film Production’s previous Department Q film version, “The Marco Effect”.

The helmer said he has “a profound respect for the world built in Adler-Olsen’s novels, that he finds both “intriguing and fascinating.” “I do believe ‘Boundless’ the movie could expand that world even more,” he asserted.

In this new thriller,...

Faroese-born emerging director Andrias Høgenni, winner of a Canal+ award at Cannes Critics’ Week in 2021 with his short film “Illi illa meint,” just got married this summer.

His project “Anything for Her,” introduced at this year’s Nordic Co-Production Market in Haugesund, is precisely about a wedding, and much more. Family conflicts, especially with step-parents involved, and the uniquely chaotic nature of a Faroese wedding set in a tightly-knit community of 52,000 souls.

Spearheaded by Danish production partners Johannes Rothaus Nørregaard of Studiocanal-backed Sam Productions (“Borgen”) and Rikke Tambo Andersen of Tambo Film (“The Penultimate”), the project has secured co-production partners from France and the Faroe Islands, Variety has learned.

La Rochelle-based In Vivo Films, behind the 2022 Toronto-bound “Autobiography” and 2019 Rotterdam entry “La Fortaleza,” has come on board at script stage, together with the leading Faroese producer, Jón Hammer of “Trom” backer Kyk Pictures.

Tambo Andersen, set to pitch the...

“The Tourist,” starring Jamie Dornan, won best series Tuesday at the Golden Nymphs Awards, handed out at the conclusion of the 61st Monte-Carlo Television Festival.

The show, created and written by Harry and Jack Williams, is a British thriller with comedy moments centering on the theme of identity. It was also given the best creation prize and the BetaSeries public prize.

Germany’s “Martha Liebermann,” a drama about a German-Jewish woman in Nazi-era Berlin standing up for her values while risking her life, won best TV film, and Thekla Carola Wied, who plays the titular character, won best actress.

Ulrich Thomsen, the lead from Nordic crime drama “Trom” won best actor. The show also received the jury special prize.

The best news program award went to the U.K.’s “Navalny – The Man Putin Couldn’t Kill” and best documentary went to Spain’s “Erasmus In Gaza.”

France, Syria coproduction “Syrie,...

The 61st Monte-Carlo Television Festival opened Friday with a phalanx of stars and TV industry execs walking the blue carpet for the event, attended by Prince Albert II of Monaco and his wife Princess Charlene.

The opening screening was the world premiere of thriller “Last Light,” produced by MGM Intl. TV Production. The show’s cast attended, led by Matthew Fox (“Lost”), Joanne Froggatt (“Downton Abbey”), Tom Wlaschiha (“Game of Thrones”), and Amber Rose Revah (Marvel’s “The Punisher”), as well as director Dennie Gordon, and junior cast members Alyth Ross and Taylor Fay.

During the opening ceremony, Princess Charlene presented the first International Golden Nymph for Most Promising Talent to French actor Théo Christine.

In his welcoming speech, Prince Albert II said: “Our festival has always showcased on the one hand creativity, quality fiction production, and on the other hand, journalistic work for a better understanding of the real challenges,...

Marti Noxon & Frank Doegler Among Showrunner Speakers For Series Mania And Beta’s Seriesmakers Initiative As It Opens For Submissions

Series Mania Forum and European content powerhouse Beta Group have opened their €120,000 Seriesmakers initiative for submissions and unveiled several high-profile speakers for its inaugural event. Marti Noxon, Agnieszka Holland, Michael Hirst are among nine speakers unveiled for the initative’s first online edition. Janine Jackowski, Israeli script doctor Ronit Weiss-Berkowitz (The Girl From Oslo), Isabelle Lindberg Pechou (Trom) and Brazil’s Felipe Braga are among the mentors. Feature film directors who have had at least one movie screen in the official selection of a top film festival in the past five years who are looking to move into series production can now submit projects, with...

Series

“Nanny McPhee” director Kirk Jones is set to take on Donald Trump in his first television series, “You’ve Been Trumped.”

The drama, based on Anthony Baxter’s 2011 documentary, tells the story of a small Scottish village who took on the then-reality TV star when he tried to build a golf course in a nature reserve. Jones, who has previously written and directed “Waking Ned” and “Everybody’s Fine,” is also writing the project while Baxter will serve as a creative consultant.

“There was a reason why the world’s media was drawn to this story in 2006 and why there was such a determined effort to prevent Anthony Baxter’s excellent documentary of the same name, being released in 2011,” said Jones. “A special site of scientific interest was stripped of its status and a community of decent people faced an unwanted aggressor. This is a story that needs to be...

MGM’s five-part limited series “Last Light” will make its world premiere at the Monte-Carlo Television Festival, kicking off the festival’s 61st edition as the opening screening.

Adapted from Alex Scarrow’s popular novel, this high-throttle drama set during an international oil crisis boasts a cast toplined by Matthew Fox (“Lost”), Joanne Froggat (“Downton Abbey”), and Tom Wlaschiha (“Game of Thrones”), who are all expected to attend.

“We want to start a conversation,” said Rola Bauer, president of MGM International TV Productions. “[The series] brings to light our dependence on oil, reminds us that we must shift away with the utmost urgency…. And it turns around the quote, ‘we don’t inherit the world from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.’”

Running from June 17 – 21, this year’s edition will play host to the world premieres of Bambú Producciones’ Jean Reno-led “A Private Affair,” Ziegler Film’s “Martha Liebermann,” and...

High in the north Atlantic, nestled between Iceland and Norway, lie the moss-covered basalt cliffs of the Faroe Islands: a Danish fishing archipelago and the perfect setting for Viaplay’s new original series “Trom.” Based on Danish writer Jógvan Isaksen’s bestselling crime novels, and adapted for screen by creator and head writer Torfinnur Jákupsson and Donna Sharpe, “Trom” is a six-episode Nordic Noir produced and distributed by Denmark’s REinvent Studios in co-production with Faroe Islands-based Kyk Pictures, Iceland’s Truenorth and Germany’s Zdf/Arte.

In what has signalled a breakthrough for many Scandinavian series, the BBC acquired “Trom” in a deal announced just before the series’ premiere at February’s Berlinale Series Market Selects.

Co-directed by Kasper Barfoed (“The Chestnut Man”), Davið Óskar Ólafsson (“The Valhalla Murders”), and Peter Ahlén, “Trom”

follows rogue journalist Hannis Martinsson, played by Ulrich Thomsen (“The New Pope”). When Hannis receives an ominous...

Fueled in no small part by international streamers looking to entrench their market share, production days skyrocketed across the European continent in 2021. But if the last year marked a gold rush for both service providers and content hungry viewers, independent producers have been feeling the squeeze.

“It’s not a golden age when it comes to IP retention,” said Katharina Hiersemenzel, senior VP public policy of German mini-major Constantin Film. “It’s been more of a step backwards, and that’s very dangerous for us, because [we don’t want to] become mere service producers in the long term, unable to invest in new talents and projects.”

Speaking at an independent producers panel the Berlinale Series Market, Hiersemenzel was outspoken about the need for need for new regulations. “Market interventions are needed when there is a market failure,” she continued. “And there is a certainly a market failure when it comes to negotiating power.”

And so,...

As the industry starts paying closer attention to Finnish films and talent – following the Cannes success of Juho Kuosmanen’s “Compartment No. 6” and Zaida Bergroth’s crowd-pleasing “Tove” – Finnish TV drama is next in line, argued the participants of the Berlinale Series Market Focus on Finland drama showcase. Kuosmanen premiered short-form series “Zone B,” which he co-created, at the Red Sea International Film Festival in December.

“We have seen a rise in Finnish stories, because as content creators and writers, we got to be a little bit braver,” said Minna Panjanen, now behind “Next of Kin”. “The truth is, everyone needs content right now. It’s almost a mathematical impossibility to say what would be the next big thing – we all saw it with ‘Squid Game’. But we need to be braver in order to stand out.”

In “Next of Kin”, set in the near future – the series is...

BBC has acquired “Trom,” a crime drama set in the Faroe Islands, which will have its international premiere at the Berlinale Series Market Selects.

A Viaplay Original, “Trom” is produced by REinvent Studios with Kyk Pictures and Truenorth. REinvent International Sales represents worldwide rights. “Trom” will premiere on Viaplay on Feb. 13

Based on Jagvan Isaksen’s crime novels, “Trom” was created by Torfinnur Jákupsson and directed by Kasper Barfoed (“Dicte: Crime Reporter”) and Davíd Óskar Ólafsson (“The Valhalla Murders”). The cinematic show is headlined by Nordic stars including Ulrich Thomsen (“The New Pope”), Maria Rich (“Follow The Money”) and Olaf Johannessen (“The Exception”).

“We are thrilled and proud that the BBC has come on board ‘Trom,'” said Helene Aurø, sales and marketing director at REinvent International Sales. “BBC has broadcast some of the best Nordic series ever produced in the past and we hope ‘Trom’ will be a success as well.

The Göteborg Film Festival’s annual TV industry event, TV Drama Vision, has unveiled its program, which focuses on sustainability and healthy working conditions at a time of hyper-competition in the drama space.

TV Drama Vision is set to unspool both in-person and online over Feb. 2-3.

As opening keynote, Johanna Koljonen, author of the anticipated Nostradamus Report, will kickstart the event’s conference strand, which is also due to new paths for creative producers, public funding at a crossroads, green filmmaking, diversity, changing business models and storytelling.

“The program, designed as always in close collaboration with the industry, will reveal how the streaming disruption, accelerated by the pandemic, is affecting us all. It’s important for all partners to find common grounds and reflect on long-term plans to create a sustainable industry,” says Göteborg head of industry Cia Edström, who will be hosting the event with moderators Johanna Nunnu Karppinen,...

New feature from ‘The Tunnel’ director Pål Øie amont titles picked up as new label launches.

Copenhagen-based REinvent Studios has launched new division REinvent Chills, which will handle production and international sales on genre features.

The new unit will focus on horror, thriller and subgenres such as psychological thriller and mystery horror.

The label launches with four pick-ups including Alex Herron’s Leave, Pål Øie’s Spirit Of Fear, Peter Ahlén’s Watching and Henrik M. Dahlsbakken’s Possession. All four films will be distributed by Sf Studios in the Nordics.

Leave will mark the feature directorial debut of Herron...

REinvent Studios, the Scandinavian sales company tied up with local major Sf Studios, is getting into the genre film world via REinvent Chills, a new wing of the company that will focus on handling rights for horrors, thrillers and similar subgenres.

The company is launching the new arm with four initial pickups:

Leave comes from the team behind Dead Snow and is produced by Savid Sppilde, who produced Netflix’s Lilyhammer. Alex Herron will direct from a screenplay by Thomas Moldestad. Charlotte Hope will star in the lead role. Film follows a young woman who is haunted by a malevolent spirit. Shoot is scheduled for fall 2022.

Watching is directed by Peter Ahlénm, who is currently co-helming the TV series Trom, which is produced by REinvent. Pic is a psychological horror about a traumatized lifeguard who returns to work after a tragic drowning accident. Shoot is penned in for fall 2022.

Pål Øie...

Copenhagen-based Dr Sales has picked up world rights to the Faroe Islands-set coming-of-age documentary “Skál,” produced by established production outfit Made in Copenhagen. Variety has been given exclusive access to the international trailer.

Co-helmed by Danish-born Cecilie Debell (“My Mother Is Pink”) and Faroese debutant Marie Tórgarð, “Skál” marks the first time ever a documentary about the picturesque Faroe Islands, in the middle of the North Atlantic, has been given a main competition ticket at an A festival – Copenhagen’s Cph:Dox (April 21-May 12).

The film captures the search for identity and hunger for change among the younger generation of Faroese people, who feel suppressed by social norms and control, in a tight community of 53,000 souls where religion plays a major role.

For one and a half year, the co-directors have followed 21 year old Dania, brought up in a Christian community as she falls for hip hop artist and poet Trygvi,...