The Norwegian thriller HEADHUNTERS has not only taken the Norwegian audience by storm, beating THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATOO in its first opening weekend and taking in over 350.000 domestic admissions on its first two weeks - it has also found an audience in North America, where it premiered last week, in Toronto International Film Festiva´s Special Presentations, followed by standing ovations. Also applauding the film are the critics:
” Headhunters," a Norwegian thriller based on the best selling novel by Jo Nesbo, was snappy, smart, and thoroughly bloody.” The Seattle Times
”Evidently inspired by the record breaking Millenium series, Tyldum´s third feature, which screened in Locarno´s Piazza Grande, moves at top speed, with bright, brilliant camera work and a twist-a-minute plot.” Screen International
”Director Morten Tyldum has the ability to drop so many casual, almost negligent, details into the mix and then cleverly start layering them all together without any instance of letting up the pace. (....) Headhunters is a perfect blend of cautious planning, earnest intent, and amusing comedic detachment.” TwitchFilm
Internationally premiered in Locarno earlier this year, HEADHUNTERS has to date been sold to more than 35 countries.
ABOUT THE FILM
Asle Vatn from Friland Film and Marianne Gray from Yellow Bird are producers. Executive producers are Annie Fernandez, Mikael Wallén and Christian Frederik Martin. Lone Korslund from Nordisk Film Denmark is co-producer.
The director
HEADHUNTERS is directed by Morten Tyldum, who introduced a new generation of actors to younger viewers, thereby becoming a turning point in recent Norwegian film history. Additionally, Tyldum is a sought-after commercial director behind some of the most expensive and influential commercials ever produced in Norway.
The main cast
The two leads are played by Norwegian Aksel Hennie, who is one of Norway´s most popular actors, starring in prize-winning films such as MAX MANUS (2008) and A SOMEWHAT GENTLE MAN (2010) , JONNY VANG (2003), BUDDY (2003), HAWAII, OSLO (2004) and UNO (2004) and Danish Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, who is one of Denmark´s most successful actors, internationally known for starring in BLACK HAWK DOWN (2001), WIMBLEDON (2004), NEW AMSTERDAM (2008) and the prestigious HBO series GAMES AND THRONES (2011).
The author
Author Jo Nesbø has been lauded by international critics for having expanded framework of the modern crime novel, and is today regarded as one of the foremost European writers in the genre. He´s been published in 140 countries, translated into more than 40 languages and is the recipient of a number of prestigious awards, having sold more than 8.5 million books.