Thirteen Nordic titles go to Toronto

by Annika Pham

31/08/2009 - Thirteen Scandinavian films have been selected for the upcoming Toronto International Film Festival (September 10-19, 2009).

Lars von Trier’s Antichrist [trailer, film focus], one of the few Nordic titles already acquired for North America (IFC Films for the US and E1 Entertainment for Canada) is leading the Danish line-up of five titles. Antichrist is screening in the Masters programme; Martin Pieter Zandvliet’s feature debut Applause [trailer, film focus], winner of a Best Actress Award in Karlovy Vary, is screening in Discovery; Mogens Hagedorn’s family adventure Timetrip: The Curse of the Viking Witch in the Sprokets Family Zone; Ole Bornedal’s Deliver Us from Evil [trailer] in Contemporary World Cinema; and Nicolas Winding Refn’s Valhalla Rising [trailer, film focus] in Special Presentations.

Norway has three titles going to Toronto. The local hit Max Manus [trailer] will screen as a Gala Presentation, and two feature debuts will vie for the Diesel Discovery award. In Margreth Olin’s The Angel [trailer], Maria Bonnevie plays a woman who wants to quit drugs to make a fresh start. Together [trailer] by Matias Armand Jordal is a drama about a father and son who try to deal with the recent death of the family’s wife/mother.

Sweden is represented by Jesper Ganslandt’s thriller The Ape [trailer], showcased in Vanguard, and Erik Gandini’s documentary Videocracy [trailer] in Real to Reel.

Two of Iceland’s most world renowned filmmakers, Dagur Kari and Fridrik Thor Fridriksson, will both attend TIFF with their latest works, respectively the world premiere of The Good Heart [trailer] (Special Presentations) and the documentary Sunshine Boy (Reel to Real).

Lastly, Finland has Mika Kaurismäki’s comedy-drama The House of Branching Love [trailer] (Contemporary World Cinema).