Norsk filminstitutt

Norwegian Film Institute will support children’s WW2 classic

 Production support for Norwegian director Johanne Helgeland’s Across the Border, from Maja Lunde’s novel – and six new short films.

Over Grensen Maja Lunde Johanne Helgeland (002).jpg
Scriptwriter Maja Lunde and director Johanne Helgeland has received fundig for their new children`s feature Across the Border.

The Norwegian Film Institute will back Norwegian director/writer Johanne Helgeland’s feature debut Across the Border (working title. Norwegian title: Over grensen) by €0.9 million (NOK 8.8 million) production funding, adding €375,000 (NOK 3.6 million) support for six short film projects.

Scripted by Norwegian author Maja Lunde from her first children’s novel (2012), Across the Border, a modern classic which follows four Norwegian children fleeing the Nazis during the German occupation of Norway in December 1942. 

The story

 Sarah and Daniel are jews, and they are hiding in the basement of Otto and Gerda’s family, before they are heading for Sweden. But they have now been discovered, the parents are arrested, before they continue the voyage in the depiction of fear, confidence, friendship and great courage in small people.

 Norwegian producer Cornelia Boysen, of Maipo Film, will stage the family feature on a €2.1 million (NOK 20 million) budget. Educated at the Norwegian National Film School in Lillehammer, Helgeland has directed numerous commercials and music videos, as well as novella films and children’s TV series.

The NFI-supported short films include:

Hest er best. (English title TBA)  Dir/Scr: Aasne Vaa Grebrokk. Prod: Ragna Nordhus Midtgard, for Mer Film. A group of teenage girls, who used to be mainly interested in horses, are now meeting new challenges.

 Slå rundt busken. (English title TBA) Dir/Scr: Jørn Utkilen. Prods: Isak Eymundsson, Fredrik Støbakk, for Ape&Bjørn. 18-year-old Melina, a refugee from the Middle East, is trying to find her way into the Norwegian labor market, and it is not that easy.

 Knask eller knep. (English title TBA) Dir/Scr: Morten Evelid, Prods: Marie Fuglestein Lægreid, Linda Bolstad Stxrønen, for DUOfilm. Magda, who lives with her Polish father and her elder sister, is a black metal fan and has no real friends. One night she meets Nils Olav, who is also into metal.

 When bodies fall from the sky. Dir/Scr: Yenni Lee. Prod: Ronny Fritsche, for Zentropa Sweden. Jenny’s last sign of life was from the roof of a 25-floor Tokyo skyscraber; now her twin sister and friends have to bring her dead body home.

Loading. Dir: Julia Lindström. Scr: Amy Black Ndiaye. Prods: Hege Kauff Tvattum, Nina Maria Barbosa Blad, for Barbosa Film. A father-daughter relationship changes, when she starts watching porn.

Ending Start. Dir/Scr: Silar Kjølmoen Henriksen. Co-dir: Cecilie Semec Mikkelson. Prods: Ingvild Evjemo, for 4½ Fiksjon. A lost relationship, visualised through dance and music.