GÖTEBORG, Sweden — Norway’s Stian Kristiansen (“Homeground”, “The Man Who Loved Yngve”) has signed on to direct “Doppler” for long-time production partners at Motlys (“Louder than Bombs”, Homeground”).
Prominent Norwegian author/scriptwriter Erlend Loe, attached to HBO Nordic’s first Danish Original “Kamikaze,” is adapting from his own best-selling novel, sold to 30 territories and named Book of the Year by The Guardian newspaper in 2012.
“Doppler” is a satirical comedy about Andreas Doppler who leaves his family and comfortable life in Oslo to start a new life in the forest. There he reconnects with nature and bonds with a baby moose.
Motlys producer Yngve Sæther said: “When I first read the novel, what I fell in love with was the dark and original humor, and Doppler’s weird and funny confrontations with civilization. The criticism of the way we lead our nice lives in the shadows of the troubled world outside, is both entertaining and disturbing.”
His colleague Vilje Kathrine Hagen added: “We want to give the audience a film version of the very popular book by Erlend Loe that made a whole generation want to move out into the woods and get rid of the common disease of ‘niceness.’”
Popular on Variety
She continued: “We want to make this movie for those who loved the book, those who never read it, and for the new generation who has never heard of it. For the new generation that is defined as ‘generation achievement,’ ‘Doppler’ will be a movie that sets them free.“
Producer Sæther told Variety that he’s looking for co-financiers and distributors for the project which has received development support from the Norwegian Film Institute.
The seasoned producer was at this week’s Nordic Film Market in Göteborg with the Venice Days entry “Beware of Children,” selected for Göteborg’s Nordic Film Competition, and work in progress “Ninjababy” by Yngvild Sve Flikke (“Women in Oversized Men’s Shirts”, “Homeground”).
The quirky dramedy turns on Rakel, aged 23, whose life is turned upside down when she finds out she’s pregnant after a not-so-romantic one-night stand. Then ‘Ninjababy,’ an animated character starts making Rakel’s everyday life a living hell. The project will be delivered in May. TrustNordisk handles sales.