10/06/2008

During its May round of production support, the Swedish Film Institute (SFI) has awarded SEK 12.8m (almost €1.3m) to top Nordic filmmakers Ulf Malmros, Ole Bornedal and Margreth Olin, as well as the animated feature Lilla spöket Laban 13-18 (the follow-up to the 2006 title Little Ghost Laban).

The biggest grant of SEK8m (€860,000) was awarded to Swedish director Malmros (God Save the King) for his new film The Wedding Photographer, starring Björn Starrin, Tuva Novotny and Kjell Bergqvist. Based on Malmros’ original script, the comedy features a wedding photographer from a small town in Varmland who gets a job on a very posh wedding and falls for the bride’s sister.

The film which started shooting on May 26 is produced by Bob Film Sweden’s Jan Blomgren.

Following up on his back to back thrillers The Substitute [+see also:
trailer
film profile] and Just Another Love Story [+see also:
trailer
film profile], popular Danish filmmaker Bornedal will portray “the evil in each and every one of us” in Free Us from Evil. The film, which received a SEK1.5m (€160,000) grant, is produced by Denmark’s Thura Film in co-production with Sweden’s Greta Film. SF will handle Scandinavian distribution.

Angel (awarded SEK1.3m/€140,000) is the first feature film by the established Norwegian documentary director Olin. The film tells how bad experiences in childhood are repeated through generations. Lena Endre has one of the lead roles with Finnish actor Antti Reini. Currently shooting, the film is a Norwegian/Swedish/Finnish co-production between Speranza Film, Migma Film and Periferia Productions.

Lilla spöket Laban 13-18 (awarded SEK 2m/€215,000), is co-directed by Lasse Persson, Karin Nilsson and Alicja Jaworski. The new adventures of the popular children’s character Little Ghost Laban is produced by Lars Blomgren for Filmlance International.