Norwegian distributor Fjong Film has picked up Hilmar Oddson’s award-winning Icelandic dark comedy “Driving Mum.”
While French-u.K. sales and production company Alief has already sold the film widely in Europe, the Norwegian deal marks its first sale in Scandinavia.
The Tallinn Black Nights Grand Prix winner, a theatrical hit in Iceland and Estonia, follows aimless protagonist Jon (Þröstur Leó Gunnarsson), who, grappling with immeasurable grief, finally comes of ripe age while fulfilling his mother’s (Kristbjörg Kjeld) final wish.
Fjong Film CEO Nina Tryggvadottir, who was born in Iceland, connected with the unconventional road movie, acquiring all rights for the title.
“I’m super excited to be working on a film from my native country and looking forward to releasing it for Norwegian audiences in October or November.”
Alief partner Miguel Angel Govea added: “We are thrilled to start ‘Driving Mum’s’ Scandinavian rollout with Fjong — a perfect...
While French-u.K. sales and production company Alief has already sold the film widely in Europe, the Norwegian deal marks its first sale in Scandinavia.
The Tallinn Black Nights Grand Prix winner, a theatrical hit in Iceland and Estonia, follows aimless protagonist Jon (Þröstur Leó Gunnarsson), who, grappling with immeasurable grief, finally comes of ripe age while fulfilling his mother’s (Kristbjörg Kjeld) final wish.
Fjong Film CEO Nina Tryggvadottir, who was born in Iceland, connected with the unconventional road movie, acquiring all rights for the title.
“I’m super excited to be working on a film from my native country and looking forward to releasing it for Norwegian audiences in October or November.”
Alief partner Miguel Angel Govea added: “We are thrilled to start ‘Driving Mum’s’ Scandinavian rollout with Fjong — a perfect...
- 5/22/2023
- by Ed Meza
- Variety Film + TV
Munich-based arthouse distribution company Prokino Filmverleih has locked German-language and Swiss rights for the unconventional Icelandic road trip film “Driving Mum” from production-distribution outfit Alief (“Matadero”).
The project won the Grand Prix Prize for best film at the Tallinn Black Night Film Festival, earning additional accolades for its affecting score. It was also chosen as an Industry Select title at 2022’s Toronto Festival.
The deal, brokered between Miguel Angel Govea, a partner at Alief, and Ira Von Gienanth, managing director of production, acquisitions & sales at Prokino, comes ahead of the feature’s European Film Market screenings in Berlin.
“We’re thrilled to close German rights with Prokino. Ira and the team are a perfect match for Hilmar’s sentimental yet quirky tribute to motherhood,“ Govea remarked in a statement.
Directed by Reykjavík native Hilmar Oddsson (“December”), “Driving Mum” takes a wryly solemn look at isolation, despair and self-discovery as Jon...
The project won the Grand Prix Prize for best film at the Tallinn Black Night Film Festival, earning additional accolades for its affecting score. It was also chosen as an Industry Select title at 2022’s Toronto Festival.
The deal, brokered between Miguel Angel Govea, a partner at Alief, and Ira Von Gienanth, managing director of production, acquisitions & sales at Prokino, comes ahead of the feature’s European Film Market screenings in Berlin.
“We’re thrilled to close German rights with Prokino. Ira and the team are a perfect match for Hilmar’s sentimental yet quirky tribute to motherhood,“ Govea remarked in a statement.
Directed by Reykjavík native Hilmar Oddsson (“December”), “Driving Mum” takes a wryly solemn look at isolation, despair and self-discovery as Jon...
- 2/14/2023
- by Holly Jones
- Variety Film + TV
Hilmar Oddsson on the theatre troupe in Driving Mum: 'The first rule in improvisation is, you always have to open doors' When we sat down to chat with Hillmar Oddsson about Driving Mum - which sees a man, Jón (Þröstur Leó Gunnarsson) take a very unusual road trip with his mother (Kristbjörg Kjeld) - we talked about the cast, aesthetic and setting, which you can read about here. Our conversation also included a discussion of other elements of the film that add to its absurdist atmosphere, chiefly the score by Estonian composer Tõnu Kõrvits and the use of a theatre troupe as a chorus that help to connect Jón to a memory from his past.
If you were listening to the music without watching the film, you might expect it to be accompanying American landscapes. The bluesy feel of parts of the scoring carries with it the suggestion of riding...
If you were listening to the music without watching the film, you might expect it to be accompanying American landscapes. The bluesy feel of parts of the scoring carries with it the suggestion of riding...
- 12/4/2022
- by Amber Wilkinson
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
Kristbjörg Kjeld and Þröstur Leó Gunnarsson in Driving Mum. Hilmar Oddsson: 'It came to me in black and white. There was no choice for me. I was always joking, I was waiting for somebody to stop me, because producers don't like black and white - but nobody did' Driving Mum is already riding high after steering its way to the Grand Prix at Tallinn's Black Nights Film Festival this month. Shot in crisp black and white that emphasise the dramatic landscapes of Iceland, Hilmar Oddsson’s film tells the story of Jón, a man at the higher end of middle age, who goes on an absurdist road trip across his mum in order to honour her last wish… and with her dead body, complete with make-up, sitting in the back of the car, while he sits up front with their dog Bresneff. Death doesn’t stop mum chipping in,...
- 11/30/2022
- by Amber Wilkinson
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
There’s a heightened sense of the absurd in Hilmar Odsson’s Driving Mum, which will take us on an Icelandic odyssey - with the emphasis on ‘odd’ - in crisply shot monochrome.
Jón (Thröstur Leó Gunnarsson) and his mum (Kristbjörg Kjeld). It’s 1980 and the pair spend their days in their isolated croft with their dog Brezhnev, knitting jumpers and listening to the radio which, in the first hint of the absurdity to come, has been recorded for them onto cassette tapes.When his mother labours a promise that he makes to her about taking her to Eyrabakki when she dies, we know it’s only a matter of time before circumstances are going to call on him to make good on it.
Rather than put her in a box for the journey, however, Jón decides to fulfill a few of her additional wishes along the way and, in order to do that,...
Jón (Thröstur Leó Gunnarsson) and his mum (Kristbjörg Kjeld). It’s 1980 and the pair spend their days in their isolated croft with their dog Brezhnev, knitting jumpers and listening to the radio which, in the first hint of the absurdity to come, has been recorded for them onto cassette tapes.When his mother labours a promise that he makes to her about taking her to Eyrabakki when she dies, we know it’s only a matter of time before circumstances are going to call on him to make good on it.
Rather than put her in a box for the journey, however, Jón decides to fulfill a few of her additional wishes along the way and, in order to do that,...
- 11/21/2022
- by Amber Wilkinson
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
Icelandic production company Ursus Parvus has released a new trailer for upcoming black comedy road trip movie, “Driving Mum.”
The film is in official competition and will celebrate its world premiere at the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival on Nov. 19. The film was also chosen as one of the 2022 Industry Selects at the Toronto International Film Festival.
“Driving Mum,” an Icelandic/Estonian co-production, is directed by Hilmar Oddsson and stars Þröstur Leó Gunnarsson (“Noi the Albino”), Kristbjörg Kjeld (“Alma”), Hera Hilmar (“Mortal Engines”) and Tómas Lemarquis (“Blade Runner 2049”).
In the film, when Jon’s mother, the single most dominant person in his life, dies, his anchor is gone. Compelled to honor her last wish, he takes on a journey to bring the body across Iceland to her home village for the final rest. As they travel on, Jon’s whole existence obtains a new meaning.
Ursus Parvus producer, Hlin Johannesdottir,...
The film is in official competition and will celebrate its world premiere at the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival on Nov. 19. The film was also chosen as one of the 2022 Industry Selects at the Toronto International Film Festival.
“Driving Mum,” an Icelandic/Estonian co-production, is directed by Hilmar Oddsson and stars Þröstur Leó Gunnarsson (“Noi the Albino”), Kristbjörg Kjeld (“Alma”), Hera Hilmar (“Mortal Engines”) and Tómas Lemarquis (“Blade Runner 2049”).
In the film, when Jon’s mother, the single most dominant person in his life, dies, his anchor is gone. Compelled to honor her last wish, he takes on a journey to bring the body across Iceland to her home village for the final rest. As they travel on, Jon’s whole existence obtains a new meaning.
Ursus Parvus producer, Hlin Johannesdottir,...
- 11/1/2022
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Nordisk Film & TV Fond backs five new projects including a thriller starring Emmanuelle Riva.
Amour’s 88-year-old Oscar-nominated actress, Emmanuelle Riva, has joined the cast of Icelandic thriller Alma, the comeback film for director Kristin Johannesdottir, whose last feature was 1992 Cannes selection As In Heaven.
Alma is the story of a woman imprisoned in a forensic psychiatric unit for murdering her lover (even though she has no recollection of the crime). After seven years behind bars, she discovers her lover is still alive and escapes to kill him for real.
Newcomer Snæfriður Ingvarsdóttir, daughter of Ingvar E. Sigurðsson (Jar City, Of Horses and Men), plays the title role and the cast also features Hilmar Snær Guðnason (101 Reykjavik) and Kristbjörg Kjeld (Of Horses And Men).
Alma – set for delivery early 2017 — is co-produced by Iceland’s Pegasus Pictures, with France’s Arsam Film International, Sweden’s Little Big Productions, the UK’s Berserk Films, in collaboration...
Amour’s 88-year-old Oscar-nominated actress, Emmanuelle Riva, has joined the cast of Icelandic thriller Alma, the comeback film for director Kristin Johannesdottir, whose last feature was 1992 Cannes selection As In Heaven.
Alma is the story of a woman imprisoned in a forensic psychiatric unit for murdering her lover (even though she has no recollection of the crime). After seven years behind bars, she discovers her lover is still alive and escapes to kill him for real.
Newcomer Snæfriður Ingvarsdóttir, daughter of Ingvar E. Sigurðsson (Jar City, Of Horses and Men), plays the title role and the cast also features Hilmar Snær Guðnason (101 Reykjavik) and Kristbjörg Kjeld (Of Horses And Men).
Alma – set for delivery early 2017 — is co-produced by Iceland’s Pegasus Pictures, with France’s Arsam Film International, Sweden’s Little Big Productions, the UK’s Berserk Films, in collaboration...
- 1/18/2016
- by wendy.mitchell@screendaily.com (Wendy Mitchell)
- ScreenDaily
Christo Christov, Ovanes Torosian, Eastern Plays (top); Kristbjörg Kjeld, Mamma Gogo (bottom) Fridrik Thor Fridriksson's Mamma Gogo and Kamen Kalev's Eastern Plays will have two additional Academy screenings on Dec. 26 at the Wilshire Screening Room in Beverly Hills. Iceland's entry for the 2011 Best Foreign Language Film Oscar, Mamma Gogo will be presented at 5 p.m; Bulgarian entry Eastern Plays will screen at 7 p.m. Starring Kristbjörg Kjeld as Mamma Gogo, an elderly woman suffering from Alzheimer's disease and Hilmir Snær Guðnason as a film director, Mamma Gogo is a semi-autobiographical drama (with humorous touches) about how the director copes with his mother's illness. Director Fridriksson's mystical Children of Nature was shortlisted in the Best Foreign Language Film category in 1991. A study in ethnic and nationalistic bigotry, Eastern Plays tells the story of three people — two Bulgarian brothers and a Turkish immigrant — brought together by a brutal xenophobic [...]...
- 12/7/2010
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
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