26/04/2013 - The Norwegian Film Institute allocates €4.8 million production funding for three new productions, including Norwegian director Rasmus A. Sivertsen's fully-animated Solan and Ludvig - From Here to Pinchcliffe

Pinchcliffe lives: Norwegian director Ivo Caprino's Pinchcliffe Grand Prix (1975) sold an estimated 5.5 million tickets in Norway (population: 4.9 million). Norwegian director Rasmus A Sivertsen and producer Cornelia Boysen, of Maipo, have already once returned to the 1950s universe of Norwegian author and cartoonist Kjell Aukrust for Solan and Ludvig: Christmas in Pinchcliffe, which is yet to be domestically released (November 8).

Now they have received €1.6 million production funding for Solan and Ludvig - From here to Pinchcliffe, a €4.8 million fully-animated feature scripted by Karsten Fullu, to go into production on August 1 for a February 2016 release through Nordisk Film Distribusjon. Boysen will produce for Maipo, with Qvisten Animation and the Aukrust Foundation.

Solan and Ludvig is one of two fully-animated productions in a €4.8 million package of three movies, which the Norwegian Film Institute yesterday (April 25) decided to support; the other is Knutsen & Ludvigsen, based on the characters created by the Knutsen & Ludvigsen duo, who performed on Norwegian stages for the more than 40 years. Øystein Dolmen (part of the duo) has scripted from with Thomas Moldestad, for Sivertsen (Solan and Ludvig - From here to Pinchcliffe) and Rune Spaans to direct.

Norwegian producer Eric Vogel, of Tordenfilm, will produce Knutsen & Ludvigsen on a €3.4 million budget, with €1.4 million subsidy from the institute. Executive produced by Aage Aaberge (Kon-Tiki) [+see also:
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Norwegian director Nils Gaup, whose Pathfinder (1988) was nominated for an Oscar, and who most recently signed last year's local blockbuster Journey to the Christmas Star, will return to 1206's Norway for Birkebeinerne, a €5.9 million historical adventure from a script by newcomer Ravn Lanesskog. Norwegian producers Finn Gjerdrum and Stein B Kvae, of Paradox, will start production next February with €1.8 million institute backing - it will reach the Norwegian cinemas February 13, 2015.

The situation: Norway was ravaged by civil war, the king was dying, while his illegitimate son is born in secrecy. Half  the kingdom wanted to kill him, but two men would defend him till death on an escape, which would forever change the history of the country. The boy was Håkon Håkonsen, who was to become King of Norway.