UK distributor Metrodome has acquired all rights to Hans Petter Moland's action-comedy THE PRIZE IDIOT. The film was sold during the Marché du Film in Cannes, where presales of THE PRIZE IDIOT was launched for the first time. The deal was negotiated between Metrodrome's Head of Acqusitions Giles Edwards and TrustNordisk's Head of Sales Susan Wendt.
Giles Edwards, Head of Acquisitions, Metrodome: "Hans Petter Moland's follow-up to A SOMEWHAT GENTLE MAN is a stunning, surprising and effortlessly rewarding addition to the thriving Scandinavian crime genre."
THE PRIZE IDIOT has additionally been sold to Continental Film (Albania, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia & Montenegro, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo, Macedonia), Film Europe (Czech, Slovakia) and Atnine (South Korea) and even before presales started distributor Neue Visionen snatched all rights for Germany and Austria.
THE PRIZE IDIOT stars Stellan Skarsgård (A SOMEWHAT GENTLE MAN, 2010; THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATOO, 2011), Bruno Ganz (DER UNTERGANG, 2004; THE READER, 2008) Pål Sverre Hagen (KON-TIKI, 2012; RAGNAROK, 2013) and Birgitte Hjort Sørensen (BORGEN, 2010-2013). It's about Nils (Skarsgård), who drives a snow blower and lives a carefree life in the winter paradise, Beitostølen. His son´s sudden death puts him in the middle of a drug war between Norwegian mafia and the Serbians. In this world he is a beginner - armed with heavy machinery and beginners luck.
Award-winning director Hans Petter Moland´s latest film A SOMEWHAT GENTLE MAN (2010) was an international hit; officially selected for Berlin International Film Festiva´s Main Competition, sold to numerous territories and winner of several prizes. Also nominated for a Golden Bear was THE BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY (2004). Scriptwriter on THE PRIZE IDIOT is acclaimed author Kim Fupz Aakesson (MINOR MISHAPS, 2002; A SOAP, 2006; A SOMEWHAT GENTLE MAN, 2010; A FAMILY, 2010).
Producers are Finn Gjerdrum and Stein B. Kvae from Paradox Film 2 AS. The film is supported by the Norwegian Film Institute, Swedish Film Institute, Danish Film Institute, Nordisk Film & TV Fond, Eurimage, Film3 and Film i Väst. With a budget of EUR 4.7, the film is scheduled for release in February 2014 with domestic distributor Nordisk Film on board.