The Danish thriller, from 'Land of Mine' director Martin Zandvliet, has already pre-sold across much of Europe and Asia.
TrustNordisk has lined up a series of major European territories for its new Danish thriller, The Marco Effect from Oscar-nominated director Martin Zandvliet (Land of Mine), inking deals with Koch Films for Germany and Austria and with Movies Inspired for Italian rights.
TrustNordisk is screening the film, part of the hit Department Q franchise of crime thrillers, for international buyers at the Virtual Cannes Market this week. The Marco Effect has already pre-sold to several territories, including France (Wild Bunch Distribution), Spain (Vertigo Films), Russia (Capella Film), South Korea (Contents Panda), and Japan (Culture Entertainment).
Ulrich Thomsen (Brothers) stars as police inspector Carl Morck, head of the cold case “Department Q” division of the Danish police. Zaki Youssef (Sons of Denmark) plays Morck’s assistant Assad. Sofie Torp (Daniel) plays Rose, the Department Q secretary.
The plot of The Marco Effect, based on Jussi Adler Olsen’s crime novels, centers on Marco, a 14-year-old homeless gypsy boy who is arrested at the Danish border control for possession of a missing public servant’s passport. Morck and Department Q dig up a cold case involving the bureaucrat, who was accused of pedophilia shortly before he disappeared.
The Department Q franchise is one of the most successful film series in Europe, with features such as 2013’s The Keeper of Lost Causes, The Absent One (2014), and A Conspiracy of Faith (2016), all of which starred Nikolaj Lie Kaas and Fares Fares as Morck and Assad, respectively.
The Virtual Cannes Market, or pre-screenings market, runs June 21-June 25.