‘The Absent One’ Breaks Danish B.O. Records

By Variety / Elsa Keslassy - International Correspondent

07-10-2014

 

PARIS- “The Absent One,” The Zentropa-produced film adaptation of

Jussi Adler-Olsen´s bestselling book, has been breaking the Danish box

office.

Released on Oct. 2 by Nordisk Film Distribution, the movie has sold over 131.000 admissions during its first weekend. TrustNordisk handles international sales.

 

So far it the film has sold 194.500 tickets including pre-screenings.

It´s Denmark´s highest-grossing opening week for a local film ever.

 

The early performance of “The Absent One” even surpasses the score of

“The Keeper of Lost Causes,” another film adaptation of a Jussi

Adler-Olsen crime novel which was directed by Mikkel Nørgaard and lured

725.000 Danish moviegoers, topping the local box office in 2013.

 

Nørgaard has been lining up hits. His 2010 movie, “Klown - The Movie,” was also major B.O. success in Denmark.

 

“The Absent One” reunites Lie Kaas (“A Second Chance”) and Fares

Fares (“Child 44″),  the duo of “The Keeper of Lost Causes.” The film

also star such well-known Scandi thesps as Pilou Asbæk (“Lucy”) and

David Dencik (“A Royal Affair).

Pic centers on the brutal murder of two young twins who are murdered

in a summer cottage in 1994. A number of clues point in the direction of

a group of young upper class students from a nearby boarding school,

but the case is closed as a local outsider pleads guilty and is

convicted for the murders.

 

It´s produced by Louise Vesth, Jonas Bagger and Peter Aalbæk Jensen

for Zentropa Group, in cooperation with TV 2 Denmark, ZDF German

Television Network, ZDF Enterprises, TV4 Sverige, TV 2 Norge. Film i

Väst co-produced.