Two Cannes 2021 films, Joachim Trier’s competition title The Worst Person in the World, and Valdimar Jóhannsson’s Lamb selected for Un Certain Regard, have been selected as Norway’s respectively Iceland’s entries for Best International Feature Film Award at the 94th Academy Awards. Both are co-produced by Film i Väst.
Besides the two chosen national entries further three co-productions were in final round of three films in Norway, Sweden and Denmark, but were not selected. They are:
- Denmark: Charlotte Sieling’s Margrete Queen of the North
- Sweden: Erik Poppe’s the Emigrants
- Norway: Eirik Svensson’s The Worst Betrayal
The Worst Person in the World world premiered at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, where its lead actress, Renate Reinsve was awarded the Best Actress Award. The film has since Cannes participated in several renowned North American festivals such as Toronto, Hamptons, New York and Chicago. It was partially shot in Studio Fares in Trollhättan in Region Västra Götaland, Sweden.
Director Joachim Trier returns with another modern twist on a classically constructed character portrait of contemporary life in Oslo. Chronicling four years in the life of Julie, The Worst Person in the World examines one woman’s quest for love and meaning in the modern world. Fluidly told in twelve chapters, the film features a breakout performance by Cannes Best Actress winner Renate Reinsve as she explores new professional avenues and embarks on relationships with two very different men (Anders Danielsen Lie and Herbert Nordrum) in her search for happiness and identity.
The screenplay is written by Eskil Vogt and Joachim Trier himself. The film is produced by Thomas Robsahm and Andrea Berentsen Ottmar for Oslo Pictures in co-production with Film i Väst. Norwegian premiere was October 15, 2021, and have already reached 90.000 admissions. The international sales agent is the French company MK2, while Neon will open the film theatrically in the US in 2021.
Valdimar Jóhannsson’s Lamb debuted in Cannes’ Un Certain Regard section and won its Prize of Originality is Jóhannsson’s first feature and is released domestically by A24. This past weekend, it hit the Top 10 for the second frame running at the North American box office, surging past $2M. Lamb is post-produced in Region Västra Götaland.
Jóhannsson co-wrote the screenplay with celebrated Icelandic poet Sjón. Noomi Rapace, who is also an executive producer, stars in the dark and malevolent folktale about a childless couple in rural Iceland who make an alarming discovery one day in their sheep barn and soon face the consequences of defying the will of nature.
Prior to its U.S. debut, Lamb took prizes at the Sitges Catalonian International Film Festival. Panda, the sheepdog in the movie, also shared the Palm Dog Awards’ Jury Prize in Cannes.
