International sales and aggregation outfit LevelK has picked up darkly funny feature “The Cake Dynasty,” toplining Anders Thomas Jensen regular Nicolas Bro (“Riders of Justice,” “Adam’s Apples”). The feature is adapted from the eponymous stage play by debut director Christian Lollike.
One of Denmark’s most lauded contemporary playwrights and stage directors, Lollike is well-known for his topical and often politically-charged works staged in Europe, Australia and the U.S.
Co-written by Lollike and Sigrid Johannesen, “The Cake Dynasty” turns on debt-ridden cake factory owner Niels Agger whose numerous suicide attempts have failed miserably. His wife Else tries to save the factory by asking her daughter and son-in-law for help. The young business school graduates suggest a comprehensive modernisation of the factory, focusing on trendsetting healthy food. Stressed about these new ideas, Niels instead falls in love with the factory’s new cleaning lady, Zeinab, originally from Iraq.
Cast against Nicolas Bro as the crisis-stricken cake maker are Tina Gylling Mortensen (“In a Better World”) as his wife Else and Sweden’s Bahar Pars (“A Man Called Ove”) as Zeinab. Experienced behind the scenes talent includes multi-winning cinematographer Manuel Alberto Claro (“Melancholia”, “A Taste of Hunger”), and editor Anders Villadsen (“Men & Chicken”).
Steering the project for Tales Inc. is two-time Academy Award winning producer Kim Magnusson (“Helium”, “Election Night”), with Michael Fleischer and Maj Andersson.
“’The Cake Dynasty” is a political and edgy satire, pointing at the health craze and xenophobia in our societies,” said Magnusson.
LevelK’s CEO Tine Klint tagged the pic as “a fresh and edgy take on our society, which challenges our traditional norms and questions our beliefs. I hope the film will push our boundaries while we laugh at ourselves,” she added.
The pic received support from regional film fund FilmFyn, the Danish Film Institute and broadcaster DR. Scandinavian Film Distribution, the newly launched major Nordic distribution and co-financing group co-headed by Fleischer, Magnusson and Christian Bévort, will release it in Denmark in September 2022.
Copenhagen-based LevelK is attending the hybrid New Nordic Films confab closing Aug. 27.
The boutique sales outfit’s eclectic line-up also takes in the San Sebastian and Toronto-bound “As in Heaven” by Danish newcomer Tea Lindeburg, Venice Critics Week opener “Karmalink” by U.S. helmer Jake Wachtel, and Iranian drama “Zalava” by Arsalam Amiri, selected for Venice Critics’ Week and Toronto’s Midnight Madness.