Big-budget disaster series “Estonia,” Canneseries winner “Power Play” and “Painkiller,” the TV drama debut of Göteborg victor Gabriela Pilcher (“Amateur”) feature among the five contenders for next year’s Nordisk Film & TV Fond Prize which serves to underscore the robust breadth of current Nordic scripted series.
Also in the running is “Prisoner,” a second admired Canneseries main competition contender featuring “The Killing” star Sofie Gråbøl, and “Descendants,” the showrunning debut of famed Icelandic thesp Tinna Hrafnsdóttir.
Backed by the Göteborg Film Festival and the Nordisk Film & TV Fond, the 8th edition of the Prize, awarded to series’ main writers, pits Beta Film, the sales agent on “Estonia” and owner of its producer, “Bordertown’s” Fisher King, against Fremantle, owner of “Power Play” producer Motlys/Novemberfilm and Red Arrow Studios International, the sales agent on “Descendants.” REinvent International Sales handles sales on “Painkiller” and “Power Play.”
The Nordic drama series...
Also in the running is “Prisoner,” a second admired Canneseries main competition contender featuring “The Killing” star Sofie Gråbøl, and “Descendants,” the showrunning debut of famed Icelandic thesp Tinna Hrafnsdóttir.
Backed by the Göteborg Film Festival and the Nordisk Film & TV Fond, the 8th edition of the Prize, awarded to series’ main writers, pits Beta Film, the sales agent on “Estonia” and owner of its producer, “Bordertown’s” Fisher King, against Fremantle, owner of “Power Play” producer Motlys/Novemberfilm and Red Arrow Studios International, the sales agent on “Descendants.” REinvent International Sales handles sales on “Painkiller” and “Power Play.”
The Nordic drama series...
- 12/15/2023
- by John Hopewell
- Variety Film + TV
Beta Film has dropped the trailer for “Estonia,” a Scandinavian limited series about Europe’s deadliest civil maritime disaster.
The eight-part cinematic show, which is represented in international markets by Jan Mojto’s Beta Film (“Babylon Berlin”), charts the sinking of the Ms Estonia on Sept. 28, 1994, which killed over 850 people.
The series is directed by Swedish director Måns Månsson and Finnish director Juuso Syrjä. While the sinking of the ship is an important part of the show, “Estonia” also spotlights the tentacular probe launched in the aftermath of the tragedy by the Joint Accident Investigation Committee established by Sweden, Estonia and Finland.
Showrunner Miikko Oikkonen, who co-wrote the series with Olli Suitiala and Tuomas Hakola, said that when he “started to read the final report and went through the material, (he) realized the investigation itself was even more interesting than the accident.”
“It was a power play, a political game...
The eight-part cinematic show, which is represented in international markets by Jan Mojto’s Beta Film (“Babylon Berlin”), charts the sinking of the Ms Estonia on Sept. 28, 1994, which killed over 850 people.
The series is directed by Swedish director Måns Månsson and Finnish director Juuso Syrjä. While the sinking of the ship is an important part of the show, “Estonia” also spotlights the tentacular probe launched in the aftermath of the tragedy by the Joint Accident Investigation Committee established by Sweden, Estonia and Finland.
Showrunner Miikko Oikkonen, who co-wrote the series with Olli Suitiala and Tuomas Hakola, said that when he “started to read the final report and went through the material, (he) realized the investigation itself was even more interesting than the accident.”
“It was a power play, a political game...
- 8/31/2023
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Beta has pre-sold sprawling Finnish drama series “Estonia” to Germany’s broadcaster Seven.One Entertainment Group, the parent company of ProSieben. This acquisition marks the start of a collaboration between Beta and Seven.One Entertainment.
The eight-hour drama, about the deadliest civil maritime disaster in recent European history, is now in its third week of shooting.
Produced by Fisher King, a subsidiary of Beta Nordic Studio, the drama charts the sinking of the Ms Estonia on September 28, 1994 which claimed the lives of over 850 people. The series also chronicles the tentacular investigation launched in the aftermath of the tragedy.
Miikko Oikkonen created the series based on numerous testimonies of survivors, which were classified until recently. The story is told though the perspectives of survivors, investigators and journalists.
“Estonia” reunites the creative team behind “Chernobyl,” including award-winning Swedish director Måns Månsson (“Snabba Cash”), cinematographer Jani-Petteri Passi and the VFX company Dneg.
The series...
The eight-hour drama, about the deadliest civil maritime disaster in recent European history, is now in its third week of shooting.
Produced by Fisher King, a subsidiary of Beta Nordic Studio, the drama charts the sinking of the Ms Estonia on September 28, 1994 which claimed the lives of over 850 people. The series also chronicles the tentacular investigation launched in the aftermath of the tragedy.
Miikko Oikkonen created the series based on numerous testimonies of survivors, which were classified until recently. The story is told though the perspectives of survivors, investigators and journalists.
“Estonia” reunites the creative team behind “Chernobyl,” including award-winning Swedish director Måns Månsson (“Snabba Cash”), cinematographer Jani-Petteri Passi and the VFX company Dneg.
The series...
- 7/22/2022
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Georgian director Ana Kvichidze is in production with her first feature documentary, the Georgian/French coproduction “Heart, Don’t Be Afraid.” The film is supported by the Georgian National Film Center and France’s Cnc, Film New Europe reports.
Vardo lives alone and unlike the witches from the fairytales, she is a kind character. She was a popular “magician” years ago, but now her livelihood is mainly pension money and food brought by neighbors. With the help of her spells, the film examines the lives of everyone in the village and witnesses their plight, from young women who have reproductive problems to families who are losing the last of their livelihood.
“I fell in love with witchcraft because of my grandmother, who was a spellcaster in our village. People came for spells and healing to her. I inherited spells and recipes from her,” Ana Kvichidze told Fne. “I want to...
Vardo lives alone and unlike the witches from the fairytales, she is a kind character. She was a popular “magician” years ago, but now her livelihood is mainly pension money and food brought by neighbors. With the help of her spells, the film examines the lives of everyone in the village and witnesses their plight, from young women who have reproductive problems to families who are losing the last of their livelihood.
“I fell in love with witchcraft because of my grandmother, who was a spellcaster in our village. People came for spells and healing to her. I inherited spells and recipes from her,” Ana Kvichidze told Fne. “I want to...
- 6/24/2022
- by Alexander Gabelia
- Variety Film + TV
Beta Film has acquired world sales rights to “Estonia,” an ambitious Finnish series telling the true story of Europe’s deadliest maritime disaster of the 20th century. The eight-part event drama will reteam “Bordertown” creator Miikko Oikkonen and helmer Juuso Syrjä (Bordertown), who will split directing duties with Måns Månsson (“Snabba Cash”).
Finland’s biggest drama project to date, “Estonia” is produced by Beta Nordic Studio’s Finnish banner Fisher King, and co-produced by Swedish Kärnfilm Ab, Panache Production Belgium and the Estonian Amrion Oü. Also co-producing are streaming service C More Finland and Sweden, along with the broadcaster TV4 and MTV Finland, in collaboration with Beta Film.
The character-driven series, whose shoot is due to start in the spring, will captures the true event of the sinking of the Ms Estonia, the country’s largest ship, in September 1994. The cruise ferry was hit by a major storm, which led to uncontrolled tilting.
Finland’s biggest drama project to date, “Estonia” is produced by Beta Nordic Studio’s Finnish banner Fisher King, and co-produced by Swedish Kärnfilm Ab, Panache Production Belgium and the Estonian Amrion Oü. Also co-producing are streaming service C More Finland and Sweden, along with the broadcaster TV4 and MTV Finland, in collaboration with Beta Film.
The character-driven series, whose shoot is due to start in the spring, will captures the true event of the sinking of the Ms Estonia, the country’s largest ship, in September 1994. The cruise ferry was hit by a major storm, which led to uncontrolled tilting.
- 2/1/2022
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Netflix has acquired the Finnish movie “Bordertown – The Mural Murders,” a spinoff of the popular Nordic crime series which is now in its third season.
Produced by Matti Halonen and Johannes Lassila at Fisher King, “Bordertown – The Mural Murders” will start shooting next month and will be released theatrically in Finland by the newly-launched distribution banner Aurora Studios. Netflix has global rights to the movie outside of Finland.
The movie brings back “Bordertown”‘s key cast, Ville Virtanen, Anu Sinisalo and Sampo Sarkola. The screenplay is written by Miikko Oikkonen and Antti Pesonen, and Juuso Syrjä will direct.
The plot of the movie follows brilliant police investigator Kari Sorjonen chasing his arch enemy Lasse Maasalo. The movie is set against the backdrop of a social media voting contest in which people have voted on without whom the country would be better off. When three of the most-voted people disappear, Sorjonen...
Produced by Matti Halonen and Johannes Lassila at Fisher King, “Bordertown – The Mural Murders” will start shooting next month and will be released theatrically in Finland by the newly-launched distribution banner Aurora Studios. Netflix has global rights to the movie outside of Finland.
The movie brings back “Bordertown”‘s key cast, Ville Virtanen, Anu Sinisalo and Sampo Sarkola. The screenplay is written by Miikko Oikkonen and Antti Pesonen, and Juuso Syrjä will direct.
The plot of the movie follows brilliant police investigator Kari Sorjonen chasing his arch enemy Lasse Maasalo. The movie is set against the backdrop of a social media voting contest in which people have voted on without whom the country would be better off. When three of the most-voted people disappear, Sorjonen...
- 9/25/2020
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
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