Film i Väst presented its upcoming co-productions at the Cannes Film Festival

New films by internationally acclaimed directors and emerging Nordic talents were among the projects unveiled by Film i Väst during its annual press conference at the Cannes Film Festival. The slate includes a major new feature by Lone Scherfig, Levan Akin’s next film, Nabil Ayouch directing Noomi Rapace in a leading role, Gustaf Skarsgård’s feature directorial debut with a film about Ingmar Bergman, Sigge Eklund’s documentary on Ruben Östlund, the return of the iconic Nordic action franchise Johan Falk, as well as two new talent projects.

In total, Film i Väst presented eight new co-productions alongside the three Film i Väst-backed titles selected for this year’s Cannes programme.

“Ten consecutive years with films in the Cannes Competition demonstrates Film i Väst’s strong international position. At the same time, we are looking ahead with eight new co-productions presented here today, which we hope will reach audiences and festivals in the years to come. All of them are either being shot or post-produced in Region Västra Götaland and contribute to strengthening a growing regional film industry,” says Kristina Börjeson, Head of Production at Film i Väst.

The new Film i Väst co-productions presented in Cannes are:

Honeytrap

Acclaimed Academy Award®-nominated director Lone Scherfig to direct romantic spy thriller "Honeytrap" with Zentropa.

With "Honeytrap" Scherfig returns to Scandinavian cinema and presents a thrilling espionage drama set in Sweden about seduction, deception and innocently optimistic love in the shadow of the Cold War.

Director Lone Scherfig states about her upcoming project:

“Honeytrap unfolds in the confluence between the most loving intimacy and the most detrimental international politics, I myself love to watch in films. The story has strong thriller elements and profound gravitas, but also brightness and humor. Stockholm and East Berlin in 1968, two very different hypermodern societies, draw obvious parallels to the times we live in. I look immensely forward to delivering a thriller about life and death and simultaneously delving into the culture shock and the love between the two - seemingly innocent- antiheroes, Swedish Inger and East German Max”.

“It feels incredibly exciting that Lone Scherfig is returning to Scandinavian cinema. Her experience, versatility, and ability to balance humor and emotional drama whilst connecting with a broad audience give Honeytrap a unique depth. I look forward to bringing the project to life together with her”, says producer Lizette Jonjic from Zentropa Sweden.

“We’re absolutely thrilled to be working with Lone again and to welcome her back to the Nordics. "Honeytrap" is a standout project - an irresistible page-turner with clear international appeal. We can’t wait to share this remarkable project with the world,” says Susan Wendt, Managing Director at TrustNordisk.

1968. Stockholm is buzzing with vitality and optimism for the future. Max is everything Inger has ever dreamed of – travelled and irresistibly charming. She falls intensely in love. But beneath the passion lures deception: Max is a Stasi “Romeo” agent, deployed to seduce Inger to extract sensitive information about the Swedish company she works for. What begins as an operation, spirals out of control when Max genuinely falls in love with Inger, leaving the entire mission – and their lives – at stake.

From the 1950s to the end of the Cold War, Stasi deployed “Romeo” and “Juliet” agents across Europe as honeytraps. The agents - carefully trained by psychologists in techniques of emotional manipulation - would cultivate intimate relations with secretaries in high-ranking positions with access to classified information. It is within this setting that Scherfig’s upcoming film unfolds.

With a directorial career spanning more than 3 decades, Scherfig has consolidated her position as a masterful storyteller of engaging, character-driven and entertaining stories balancing both emotional depth, authenticity and warmth. Following the international breakthrough of the multiple award-winning dogma-film Italians for beginners, Scherfig rose to further international acclaim with "Wilbur wants to kill himself". In 2009 she directed "An Education" which was nominated for 3 Academy Awards® and 8 BAFTAs and took home multiple awards including 3 awards at Sundance Film Festival and the Independent Spirit Award for Best Foreign Film. The film also earned actress Carey Mulligan numerous nominations and awards. Since then, Scherfig has directed several feature films such as "One Day", "The Riot Club", "Their Finest" and "The Movie Teller" to name a few.

"Honeytrap" is based on an idea by Pelle Rådström. It will be Scherfig’s 12th feature film. The project is currently in later stages of financing and development. "Honeytrap" is written and directed by Lone Scherfig

Produced by Lizette Jonjic for Zentropa Sweden AB, in collaboration with producer Rebecka Hamberger, co-producers Sisse Graum Jørgensen, Charlotte Hjordt and Solmz Azizi in co-production with Film i Väst, Zentropa Entertainments5 ApS and Zentropa Berlin GmbH with support from Swedish Film Institute and DR/Danish Broadcasting Corporation. Nordic distribution in collaboration with Nordisk Film Distribution. TrustNordisk handles international sales.

Summer In Heat

Levan Akin is set to begin shooting "Summer In Heat" his eagerly anticipated follow-up to the award winning and critically acclaimed films "And Then We Danced" and "Crossing". The film is written by Canadian playwright, novelist and director Jordan Tannahill ("The Listeners", "Prince Faggot").

Four teenage cousins from Europe arrive in their parents’ hometown by the Black Sea, where a family wedding and the weight of traditions stir up tensions and secret desires when they all fall for the same forbidden, young man.

"Summer In Heat" is a co-production between Sweden, France, Germany and Denmark, produced by regular collaborators Mathilde Dedye and Ludvig Andersson from RMV Film together with Xenia Maingot from Eaux Vives Productions and Katja Adomeit from Adomeit Film, co-produced by Film i Väst and ZDF/Arte and Tint. With support from The Swedish Film Institute, Nordisk Film & TV Fond, CNC aide aux Cinémas du monde, The Danish Film Institute, German Federal Film Board FFA, Fonds de Soutien Cinéma international Région Île de France, Prada Film Foundation and MOIN Film Fund Hamburg Schleswig-Holstein.

Distributors: TriArt Film, SVT – Swedish Television, Reel Pictures, DR - Danish Broadcasting Corporation, Alamode, Haut et Court Distribution.

Run, With No Tears

The new psychological thriller by internationally acclaimed director Nabil Ayouch, starring Noomi Rapace and Maryam Touzani.

Nabil Ayouch who directed "Casablanca Beat" (Cannes official competition), "Horses of God" (Cannes - Un Certain Regard), "Much Loved" (Director’s Fortnight), "Razzia" (Toronto Platform), "Everybody Loves Touda" (Cannes Premiere) will begin shooting his new feature film, "Run, With No Tears", in September.

Driven by an international cast, the film brings together Noomi Rapace ("Prometheus", "Mother", "Lamb"), Maryam Touzani ("Razzia"), and Nisrin Erradi ("Everybody Loves Touda", "Adam") in a psychological thriller co-written by Maryam Touzani ("Adam", "The Blue Caftan", "Calle Malaga") and Nabil Ayouch.

The story follows two women who travel to Morocco to adopt another woman’s baby.

Shot in French and English, the film is produced by France (Les Films du Nouveau Monde), Morocco (Ali n’ Productions), Sweden (Rainy Days), Belgium (Velvet Films), and Norway (Staer).

Run, With no Tears is produced by Nabil Ayouch, Amine Benjelloun (Morocco), and Jean-Rémi Ducourtioux (France). It is co-produced by Stella Härnström and Piodor Gustafsson (Sweden), Sebastian Schelenz (Belgium) and Elisa Fernanda Pirir (Norway). In co-production with Film i Väst.

The project is supported by the CCM (Centre Cinématographique Marocain), the Belgian Tax Shelter, the Swedish Film Institute.

Distribution rights are handled by Le Pacte in France, Cinéart in Belgium, and TriArt in the Nordic, while international sales are entrusted to Films Boutique.

Ruben

Can one person win the Palme d’Or three times? Or does that ambition require a certain kind of madness?

Ruben is a documentary film by Sigge Eklund about the two-time Palme d’Or-winning and Oscar-nominated filmmaker Ruben Östlund. Over the course of five years, the film follows the making of his new feature "The Entertainment System Is Down" — a project driven by an almost impossible ambition: to become the first filmmaker in history to win three Palme d’Or awards at the Cannes Film Festival.

The documentary begins in 2022, just after the premiere of "Triangle of Sadness". Ruben is at the peak of the film world, yet already consumed by the need to create something even bigger, bolder and more uncompromising than before. The question is: what should the next film be about — and what price is he willing to pay to achieve his goal? Eventually, an idea emerges: an entire film set on a long-haul flight where the entertainment system suddenly stops working. A full-scale airplane set is constructed inside a massive hangar in Budapest, and the production quickly turns into a high-wire act — technically, financially and emotionally.

With extraordinary access, Ruben captures a filmmaker obsessed with authenticity and perfection. We witness the endless discussions, the countless retakes and the relentless pursuit of the perfect scene. Collaborators, actors and close confidants describe a director with extreme demands — both on himself and on everyone around him. At the same time, the documentary becomes a portrait of the man behind the acclaim. Through reflections on his childhood, film school years, early short films and rise to international success, we follow the journey that led to his historic Palme d’Or victories and global recognition.

Guiding us through it all is Sigge Eklund. Thanks to his more than twenty-year friendship with Ruben Östlund, he is given a uniquely intimate perspective on the creative process — far beyond the public image of the celebrated director. The result is a rare and deeply personal exploration of creativity, friendship, ambition and obsession.

Produced by Stockholm Syndrome and Tiisch Film in co-production with SVT and Film i Väst. Distributed by SF Studios.

The Cannibal

"The Cannibal", Gustaf Skarsgård's directorial debut from Peter Birro’s script, offers a terrifying Bergman encounter

Gustaf Skarsgård makes his directorial debut with "The Cannibal", a totally genre-defying story about the possibilities and misadventures of filmmaking, scripted by Peter Birro. Ingmar Bergman has a significant role as both a genius and a demon.

"The Cannibal" is a bold mix of sacrilege and homage to Bergman and the art of cinema. The story is told on several levels: as a drama about a man's emotional breakdown after a painful personal loss, as a reflection on what we sacrifice to create art, as a meta-film about making a film about Bergman, and not least as a darkly humorous horror film inspired by the master's cinematic universe.

For Peter Birro, it is a personal film:

— I was eight years old when I saw Bergman's Hour of the Wolf on TV and almost died of fright. I understood nothing of the artist's struggle with his demons, but it hit me on a gut level and I became obsessed with film. Many years later, I travel to Fårö to write a screenplay about Bergman, hoping to find inspiration on the island. But once there, the shadow of the demon director hangs heavily over me and I give up, go home and start writing a film about a braver writer who actually dares to challenge the Master. It is a true gift to get Gustaf Skarsgård as director.

In The Cannibal, screenwriter David meets his great idol Ingmar Bergman, and this will soon take over his entire life in a nightmarish way. David is played by Ardalan Esmaili (Kristallen Award winner for "The Helicopter Heist") and Ingmar Bergman by Claes Ljungmark (Guldbagge Award winner for "A Rational Solution").

— I have longed to direct a feature film for many years, but I never came across material that felt exciting enough. But when Birro came up with this script, I immediately felt in my gut that this is the one I have to do! It’s a terrifying celebration of creative playfulness. And I am so happy that I have found Ardalan Esmaili to play the lead role, and Claes Ljungmark who will make a both primal and explosive Bergman, says Gustaf Skarsgård.

— "The Cannibal "unites two of Sweden's truly great film profiles when Gustaf Skarsgård makes his directorial debut from Peter Birro's brilliant script. It’s both brave and crazy to enter Ingmar Bergman’s world and it gives our investment in Swedish cinema film an extra strong flavour, says Annica Bellander Rune, Local Marketing & Acquisition Manager at Scanbox Entertainment Sweden.

"The Cannibal" will be filmed on the island of Fårö and in Region Västra Götaland this autumn and will have a Swedish cinema premiere in 2027. The film is produced by Martin Persson with Anagram, part of STUDIO TF1, in co-production with Just Republic in Finland and Tall & Small in Denmark, Sveriges Television, Film i Väst, Gotlands Filmfond and with support from the Swedish Film Institute, film consultant Andrea Östlund, and is distributed by Scanbox Entertainment.

Scanbox press contact for The Cannibal: Karin Wahlén, karin@kultpr.se 076-8962254
Contact Film i Väst: Ulrika Grönérus, ulrika.gronerus@filmivast.se
Contact Anagram: Martin Persson, martin@anagram.se

Johan Falk

After more than ten years in the shadows, Johan Falk is making a comeback.

In three new films on TV4 Play and TV4, the iconic character returns to a Gothenburg where police work and intelligence operations are complicated by constant threats and dangers from the criminal underworld. Filming begins at the end of the summer, with a planned premiere in autumn 2027.

One of Sweden’s most iconic film series, "Johan Falk", is returning. In the new films, Falk comes back to Gothenburg, setting off a chain of events that threatens to tear apart both his family and the justice system he once served. Old alliances are tested, and the stakes are higher than ever. At the center is a Johan Falk forced to navigate a reality where nothing is certain anymore, and where the consequences of the past continue to make themselves felt.

“This is Johan Falk for both new viewers and everyone who has been there from the beginning. We’ve been careful to preserve the intensity while also opening the door to new perspectives and new voices. The emotional core remains and continues to drive both the story and the suspense forward,” says Johanna Lind, Head of Drama at TV4.

The returning film series once again stars Jakob Eklund in the lead role as Johan Falk, alongside Marie Richardson as Johan’s wife Helén. With several new, younger characters, Johan Falk steps into a new era and reflects a changing society. The new films portray a world where the lines between the police, intelligence services, and criminal structures are dangerously blurred — and where justice is no longer a given.

“We’re damn proud to be making three new Johan Falk films. This isn’t a soft reboot — it’s an uncompromising comeback at full speed. Johan Falk is an action hero who has always lived in the gray zones, and now he’s pushed further than ever before, both physically and mentally. The stakes are higher, the violence closer, and the decisions tougher. As Johan himself would say: what the hell, let’s do this,” says executive producer Jon Mankell.

The three new Johan Falk films are produced by Bigster for TV4, in co-production with Film i Väst. Producers are Mathias Gruffman and Calle Jansson. Directors are Pella Kågerman, Hugo Lilja, and Richard Holm. Head writer: Anders Nilsson. Screenwriters are Agnes Jeppsson, Richard Holm, Viking Johansson, and Tage Åström. Director of Photography is Frida Wendel. Executive Producer at TV4 is Jon Mankell, Executive Producer Development at TV4 is Helmi Tolonen, and Head of Drama at TV4 is Johanna Lind. Filming of "Johan Falk" begins in late summer 2026, with a planned premiere in autumn 2027. The films are based on the Johan Falk universe created by Anders Nilsson and Joakim Hansson.

Ford

Born and raised on a farm on the Swedish countryside, Malin Ingrid Johansson might be one of the few directors who knows how to operate a tractor as well as a camera. Malin started out as a stills photographer before transitioning into to directing music videos, art films and short films. Malin’s first short "Madden" premiered internationally at the Berlinale ’23 and has been awarded multiple times, highlights are Best national short at Göteborg Film Festival, Best National short at Uppsala Kortfilmsfestival, Special Mention for best acting at AFI Fest. Her second short "Däck 5b" won TIFF 2024 Short Cuts and has screened at several prestigious festivals. Both of Malin’s shorts have been eligible for the Academy run.

She is currently in pre-production on her feature debut with the working title "Ford" where she expands on everything she loved exploring in her previous films. Ford unfolds in the snowbound expanse of the contemporary Swedish countryside. In this existential coming-of-age tale, we follow a young man of rare sensitivity, aching to carve out his place in an indifferent world. "Ford" is a rural symphony—an ode to identity, to silence, and to the fragile longing for belonging.

Scriptwriter and director: Malin Ingrid Johansson
Producer: Joel Rostmark, Adam Meinking
Production company: Pine

Grand Final

Joel Spira and Henrik Mestad in Jakob Marky's directorial debut "Grand Final" - a dark comedy about morality and exploitation in the world of theatre

Today, director Jakob Marky's feature film debut "Grand Final" was presented at Film i Väst's press conference in Cannes. It is a biting dark comedy about performance, exploitation and hypocrisy in the world of theatre. Henrik Mestad plays the pressured artistic director of Sweden's national stage, and Joel Spira a retired comedy actor who gets the title role in Richard III due to a fatal misunderstanding. Grand Final is being filmed this autumn.

When the charismatic Stefan Bryggø-Hansen (Henrik Mestad) takes over as the new artistic director of Sweden's national stage, he promises to reform it and put humanism at the forefront. His wife Isabelle has just been diagnosed with cancer, at the same time as a pressured Stefan has to quickly fill the title role in the upcoming production of Richard III. When he sees retired comedian Jakob Mosse (Joel Spira) with his wife's cancer support group, he realizes he has found the right actor. The unconventional choice, which surprises Jakob himself, creates a stir.

What Stefan doesn't know is that Jakob's illness is of a completely different nature, and when the truth dawns on him, Richard III is already sold out and Stefan is widely praised for giving a man with cancer what may be his last chance at life. But correcting the lie would destroy everything Stefan has built up…

"Grand Final" is a dark comedy about achievement, exploitation and morality play - when suffering becomes spectacle and human weakness is the hottest ticket in town. Director Jakob Marky, who is making his feature film debut, has also written the screenplay together with Mads Stegger. Jakob was awarded the After Bergman Screenwriting Prize in 2013, and has directed short films such as "The Midas Touch", "The Hearing" and "COWS", which were all nominated for best Swedish short film at the Göteborg Film Festival, where "COWS" won the Audience Award in 2025.

— I myself am a very naive and stupid person, who is desperate not to be caught and exposed as a fake. So the choice of subject has been obvious in that way. A loving depiction of a pathetic attempt to preserve the hero role in the story about oneself, says Jakob Marky.

Joel Spira was awarded a Guldbagge for his performance in "Shame on Dry Land" and was nominated for another Guldbagge for the lead role in "7 Steps". We have also seen him in the first two "Easy Money" films as well as in "Bergman Island" and "Orca", among others, and in series such as "Solsidan", "The Unlikely Murderer", "Barracuda Queens" and "Thicker than Water", for which he was nominated for a Kristallen Award. Henrik Mestad is known from productions such as "Reprise", "Pernille", "Detective Hole" and "Lillyhammer". He has won the Amanda Award for his performances in "Børning" and "Sons", and he won the Norwegian theatre award Hedda for his stage interpretation of The Captain in Strindberg's "The Father".

Grand Final is being filmed in Stockholm and Gothenburg starting August 17th, and will be released in cinemas in 2027/28. The film is produced by Magnus Nygaard Albertsen and Agnes Parkrud at Bacon Pictures STH, with support from SFI's talent initiative Moving Sweden. The film is a co-production with Film i Väst and SVT, with Nordic distribution by Scanbox Entertainment. Information about International Sales will be provided later.