Haugesund’s New Nordic Films Market to Open With ‘Way Home,’ From ‘The Bridge’ Director Charlotte Sieling (EXCLUSIVE)
August’s New Nordic Films, Scandinavia’s biggest second-half-of-the-year film market, will open with drama-thriller “Way Home” from Charlotte Sieiling, a concept director on the original “The Bridge” and “Borgen.”
The screening will mark the world premiere of “Way Home,” sold by LevelK and produced by Denmark’s Toolbox Film.
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“This movie means a lot to me, and I really hope the Nordic audience and the world will embrace our effort to tell this father-son story in an environment so different from ours, but still part of our reality,” said Sieling.
Sieling’s latest film, “Margrete – Queen of the North,” a lavish, stately historical drama,” in Variety’s words, asked t what extent a monarch would subordinate vital interest of state to personal interest. “Way Home” poses a similar question – how far are you willing to go to save the people you love? – in an entirely different context. Christian (Nikolaj Lie Kaas) is smuggled into modern-day Syria in a desperate search for his son Adam. He embarks on what is described as a “deadly and soul-searching journey into a brutal, war-torn country, gradually realizing that he must be willing to sacrifice everything he believes in to be reunited with his son.
Written by Danish filmmaker Sieling with Nagieb Khaja and Jesper Fink, “Way Home” is hailed by Nordic Film Daus as a “powerful and gripping drama about powerlessness, forgiveness and the love for our children.”
“This thrilling Danish-Norwegian-German co-production will leave the audience on the edge of their seats. Nikolaj Lie Kaas does a tremendous job in the lead role, and we hope this screening will be the start of a great worldwide distribution for this film, said Line Halvorsen, program director of this year’s New Nordic Films.
Lie Kaas starred opposite Mads Mikkelsen in Anders Thomas Jensen’s 2020 movie “Riders of Justice.” His credits also take in Lars von Trier’s “The Idiots” and Susanne Bier’s “Open Hearts,” “Brothers “and “A Second Chance.” He stars with Albert Rudbeck Lindhardt, Arian Kashef and Besir Zeciri.
Signe Leick Jensen and Morten Kaufmann produce for Toolbox Film. Germany’s Tamtam Film and Norway’s Hummelfilm co-produce.
“We are looking forward to screening the film for the audience together with our faithful Norwegian co-producer, Gudny Hummelvoll,” added producers Leick Jensen and Kaufmann at Toolbox Film.
The Danish Film Institute, Norwegian Film Institute and Nordic Film & TV Fund have provided production support. Eurimages has also backed the film.
A wide-ranging TV director, Sieling has directed an episode or more of the Nordic Noir classic “The Killing,” as well as the U.S. TV series “Graceland,” “The Americans,” “Homeland,” “Queen of the South” and “Lovecraft Country.”
Hosted by Haugesund’s Norwegian International Film Festival, the 30th edition of New Nordic Films takes place Aug. 20-23. The Festival itself runs Aug. 17-23.
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