Hennie returns to Toronto, this time in Headhunters: Norwegian actor Aksel Hennie’s latest film selected for a Special Presentation at the Toronto International Film Festival between September 8-18. Norwegian director Morten Tyldum’s Headhunters (Hodejegerne), from Jo Nesbø’s best-selling crime novel with Aksel Hennie in the lead, will have its North American premiere as a special presentation in the 36th Toronto International Film Festival, which takes place between September 8-18.
It will be Hennie’s third appearance in the official progamme of the festival, after his own directorial debut, Uno (2004), and Joachim Roenning-Espen Sandberg’s Max Manus (2009). Headhunters, which will be launched domestically on 26 August by Nordisk Film Distribusjon, has also been selected for the Norwegian International Film Festival in Haugesund (August 17-26) and for a screening before an 8,000 audience on the Piazza Grande at the Locarno International Film Festival (August 3-13).
Scripted by Ulf Ryberg and Lars Gudmestad, Headhunters is the first screen adaptation of Nesbø, whose books have sold more than 8.5 million copies worldwide. Henie stars as Roger, apparently Norway’s most fortunate headhunter who seems to have everything – however, his life in abundance is financed by stealing art. “One of the biggest and most successful Nordic titles in our 2011 line-up,” said TrustNordisk ceo Rikke Ennis, who first showed a four-minute promo reel of the Friland-Yellow Bird production at the Berlinale. Headhunters has since been licensed to more than 30 countries, including the US (Magnolia Pictures). At the Toronto showcase – one of the biggest audience festivals in the world – it will be represented by Hennie, Tyldum, producers Asle Vatn and Marianne Gray.
Two Norwegian films awarded at Giffoni
Anne Sewitsky’s Totally True Love won the +10 section, while Marius Holst’s King of Devil’s Island came second in +16 at Italy’s Giffoni International Children’s Film Festival. Norwegian director Anne Sewitsky’s Totally True Love (Jørgen + Anne = Sant), which was launched in competition at the Berlinale to receive a Special Mention, won the +10 section at the Giffoni International Children’s Film Festival, which is the largest in Europe.
Norwegian director Marius Holst’s King of Devil’s Island (Kongen av Bastøy) received the Campania Regional Council Award for being second in the +16 programme. Unspooling in the little town of Giffoni Valle Piana close to Salerno in southern Italy, the festival, which is attended by 2,000 children from 40 countries, adding international guests and app 60,000 audiences, closed its 41st edition on Thursday (21 July).