Sundance: Danish Thriller 'The Guilty' Lands at Magnolia

By Tatiana Siegel / The Hollywood Reporter

23-01-2018

 

Directed by Gustav Moller, the film centers on an alarm dispatcher who answers an emergency call from a kidnapped woman, but the call is suddenly disconnected, setting in motion the search for her.

Magnolia Pictures has acquired North American rights to Gustav Moller´s Danish film The Guilty, which screened in the World Dramatic Competition at the ongoing Sundance Film Festival.

 

Written by Moller and Emil Nygaard Albertsen, the film centers on Asger Holm, an alarm dispatcher and former police officer who answers an emergency call from a kidnapped woman. When the call is suddenly disconnected, the search for the woman and her kidnapper begins. With the phone as his only tool, Asger enters a race against time to save the endangered woman. But he soon realizes that he is dealing with a crime that is far bigger than he first thought.

 

Jacob Cedergren, Jessica Dinnage, Johan Olsen, Omar Shargawi and Katinka Evers-Jahnsen star.

 

“Gustav Moller has devised an ingeniously executed thriller," Magnolia president Eamonn Bowles said Monday in a statement. "This is an incredibly accomplished feature debut, and Magnolia is excited to introduce him to American audiences.”

 

Added Susan Wendt, director of international sales and marketing at TrustNordisk: "We are very excited to have our friends at Magnolia on board for this one. This feels like the perfect match. I am sure Magnolia will do great promoting The Guilty and making sure it gets the attention it really deserves."

 

Lina Flint produced The Guilty, which is a Nordisk Film Spring & New Danish Screen presentation.

 

The deal was negotiated by John Von Thaden, senior vp acquisitions at Magnolia, and Wendt, on behalf of the filmmakers.