Samuel Goldwyn Films Nabs ‘Margrete-Queen of the North’ for the U.S. (EXCLUSIVE)

Samuel Goldwyn Films has acquired U.S. rights to the anticipated Danish epic period drama “Margrete-Queen of the North,” helmed by Charlotte Sieling (“The Bridge,” “The Killing,” “Homeland”). The upscale feature, produced by Birgitte Skov and Lars Bredo Rahbek for Scandinavian major SF Studios, is screening at this week’s Norwegian International Film Festival in Haugesund (Aug.21-27).

The deal was negotiated by REinvent International Sales, exclusive sales agent of SF Studios’ feature film slate.

“Samuel Goldwyn Films is a great partner for us, and we are confident that they will release the film with success,” said REinvent’s sales and marketing director Helene Aurø. “They have been keen on the film from the very beginning, and we are certain they will do a great job releasing this epic film in the US.”

An earlier sales deal was closed with Splendid Film for Germany.

Toplining Trine Dyrholm (“Queen of Hearts”, “The Commune”), “Margrete-Queen of the North” is a biopic about the great Danish monarch Margrete the First who gathered the kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden into a peaceful union. Penned by Sieling, with Jesper Fink (“Before the Frost”) and Maya Ilsøe (“The Legacy”), the story unfolds in 1402, as a conspiracy threatens the alliance.

“Margrete – Queen of the North” is a modern portrait of a woman whose challenges were, despite a 600-year gap, not all that different from those which women are struggling with today: career, family, motherhood,’ noted Sieling in an earlier statement.

The strong Nordic cast takes in Søren Malling (“Borgen”), Morten Hee Andersen (“Deliver Us”), Jakob Oftebro (“Agent Hamilton”), Bjørn Floberg (“Out Stealing Horses”) and Magnus Krepper (“Queen of Hearts”). SF Studios will release the film in Denmark Sept. 16.

Registered world buyers and programmers attending this week’s confab New Nordic Films (Aug. 24-27), running parallel to Haugesund’s Norwegian Film Festival, can watch the pic on-line and on-site as a market screening.

REinvent International Sales is repping two other SF Studios titles to be pitched as works in progress: Erik Poppe’s period drama “The Emigrants” and Aku Louhimies’ action thriller “Omerta 6/12.”

Samuel Goldwyn Films’ recent Nordic pick-ups include Thomas Vinterberg’s Oscar-winning film “Another Round.”