EXCLUSIVE: An Icelandic-Romanian comedy-drama sequence is about to launch internationally, as European international locations proceed to mix to get manufacturing rolling.
Scorching Stuff comes from Reykjavik-based Glassriver and Romania‘s Thought Movie and is for Icelandic broadcaster SÝN’s Channel 2 (Stöð 2). Paris-based Oble has taken worldwide distribution rights and can start buying the present.
The co-production has that distinctly European co-production taste that underpinned Collection Mania just a few weeks again. With U.S. cash seemingly gone from Euro manufacturing, international locations are assemblies in intriguing methods to get productions lensing, making an Icelandic-Romania co-pro more likely. Final month, we revealed particulars on Collection Mania sequence Torna a Surriento, an Finnish-Italian drama sequence that Glassriver is engaged on with Finland’s Whatevergroup Italy’s Viola Movies and Norway’s Rein Movie.
Magnús Leifsson (Dovetail) is the director on Scorching Employees, and Ragnar Bragson is the creator and co-writer. Identified for The Shift TV sequence trilogy, which was remade in Germany and the U.S., and drama sequence The Prisoners, his new present is a comedy-drama set in 1979 as a gaggle of Icelanders go on vacation in Portugal.
Per the logline, the present blends “humor, romance, and sharp social commentary” to deal with themes of “gender inequality, consumerism, and xenophobia.”
“By way of playful ridicule and genuine storytelling, it explores the pitfalls of insular pondering, poisonous masculinity, and performative activism,” provides the logline. “With a novel mix of morality-driven drama and comedy, Scorching Stuff gives recent views that enchantment not simply to conventional style followers however to anybody in search of participating and thought-provoking leisure.”
Snjolaug Ludviksdottir is the opposite author, who’s presently adapting Icelandic novel Konur (Girls) for the display screen and simply completed writing the second season of crime sequence Stella Blomquist.
Kristjana Thors Brynjolfsdottir, Director of Media at SÝN, stated: “Scorching Stuff is strictly the sort of daring, character-driven storytelling we champion at SÝN. It’s sensible, trendy, and socially related – mixing humour with razor-sharp perception in a method that feels each nostalgic and strikingly fashionable. We’re thrilled to carry this formidable sequence to Icelandic audiences and proud to help authentic tales with world resonance.”
“We’re taking it again to the 70s,” stated Andri Ómarsson, co-owner and producer at Glassriver. “We’re excited to introduce Scorching Stuff – a novel story that crosses into a number of genres and subjects, set towards the backdrop of sunny Portugal in 1979. With our companions and buddies at IDEA Movie, we’re trying ahead to this sequence hotting up.”
Glassriver just lately unveiled Icelandic-Finnish local weather catastrophe miniseries Avalanche and the just lately optioned titles Elma from Eva Björg Ægisdottir and Reykjavik Noir from creator Lilja Sigurdardottir, that are being tailored for TV.
It’s presently working up Chilly Haven, an eight-episode crime thriller in co-production with Portugal’s SPi; and has beforehand produced worldwide drama As Lengthy as We Reside, medical drama Fractures and Black Sands, which world premiered at Berlinale and is headed for extra seasons.
Thought Movie — led by CEO Ionut Ionescu and manufacturing chief Andreea Apetre — has labored on a number of Romanian-American co-productions, and is behind reveals reminiscent of Sabina: Tortured for Christ – The Nazi Years, Between Borders and Dictators’ Hideouts. It additionally offers manufacturing providers for the likes of Lego Ninjago and Asterix.
