Irish $4,5 mill. thriller JOHNNY WAS, written by Brendan Foley, starring Vinnie Jones, Gerard McSorley, Roger Daltrey, Samantha Mumba, Idris Elba and Laurence Kinland and directed by Mark Hammond, is the first film in a slate of European-set, English language pictures which Nordisk Film will co-produce with Mark Hammond’s Affinity FilmWorks.
Kenneth Plummer, managing director of Nordisk Film A/S; “The agreement with Mark Hammond and Affinity FilmWorks is an important part of our strategic venture into international co-productions. We will continue to build and expand on our international relationships in this way in order to strengthen our Nordic operations.”
The production slate, to be co-produced with Massimo Cristaldi of Cristaldi Pictures in Rome includes another two films set for production within the next year; DANCING ON THE MOON, a €6 mill. Italian-set romantic comedy to be directed by Nicholas Kendall (“GOOSE”) and OUT OF THE SHADOWS, a biopic about Fanny Mendelssohn, the sister of German composer Felix Mendelssohn, to be directed by Ilaria Borelli (“RENT-A-HUSBAND”).
Further pictures in development include HAN, THE FORGER, about the Dutch painter Van Meegeren, the most famous forger of the 20th century, and UNDER THE WIRE, an adaptation of Brendan Foley’s bestselling biographical book about American RCAF pilot William Ash who during WWII escaped more times from POW camps than anyone else.
Lars Hermann, head of international co-production for Nordisk Film A/S; “This slate represents a diverse mix of high quality product that we believe will do very well both in our Nordic territory and internationally.”
Nordisk Film will take Nordic distribution rights on all pictures co-produced under the deal. International Sales is handled by Nordisk Film International Sales on JOHNNY WAS and will be determined on a picture-to-picture basis on the other films.
Kim Magnusson, General manager of Nordic Production for Nordisk Film A/S; “We have high hopes for this pan-European co-production venture as we do from our other long term US based partnership with Fluid Films.”
Mark Hammond, CEO of Affinity FilmWorks; “Partnering with Nordisk Film on these international co-productions gives us the ability to enter into other long-term financial and creative relationships that just wouldn’t be possible on a picture-to-picture basis.”
The agreement entails Nordisk Film contributing between 10 and 15% of budgets and it runs for an initial three years.
Lars Hermann, Head of co-production
Nordisk Film A/S
Phone +45 3618 8200 or +45 2360 7366
