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Edvard Munch’s best-known work, “The Scream,” has been endlessly referenced or parodied – even in “The Simpsons.” But the painter himself, who passed away in 1944, remains an enigma.

“His art is famous, but not the artist. And I wanted to tell a story about the artist. His life is the main focus here,” says director Henrik Martin Dahlsbakken, whose “Munch” has been selected as opening film at the International Film Festival Rotterdam.

He never intended to make a typical biopic, however. “Most of them are quite… boring. Munch evolved a lot, in terms of how he lived, but also his art and his motives. It was necessary to find another way.”

With the help of four different screenwriters, each focusing on a different period in his life, he cast four actors as Munch: Alfred Ekker Strande, Mattis Herman Nyquist, Ola G. Furuseth and even Anne Krigsvoll.

“The hardest part was...

It will be artistic director Vanja Kaludjercic’s first full physical event since being appointed three years ago.

Norwegian director Henrik Martin Dahlsbakken’s Munch will open the 2023 International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR), taking place from January 25-February 5 in the Netherlands. It is the first in-person festival following two online pandemic events and the first physical one for festival director Vanja Kaludjercic since taking over from Bero Beyer after the 2020 event.

Munch, which will screen out of competition, explores the life of the tortured Norwegian artist, celebrated for his painting of ‘The Scream’, and who endured mental turmoil throughout his life.

New York-based Juno Films has acquired all North American distribution rights to “Munch,” the upcoming Rotterdam Film Festival opening night film which is backed by Viaplay, Scandinavia’s leading streamer, and directed by Norway’s Henrik M. Dahlsbakken’s (“The Outlaws”).

“Munch” is produced by The Film Company. The deal was negotiated between Vondah Elizabeth Sheldon on behalf of Juno Films and Vimish Gandesha, VP Viaplay select & content distribution. The feature is expected to premiere in New York, late spring 2023, with a nationwide run to follow.

“Our latest Norwegian feature paints a sensitive portrait of one of history’s most enigmatic artists,” says Filippa Wallestam, Viaplay Group chief content officer. “[Edvard] Munch’s work is famed around the world, but his equally fascinating life is much less well-known.”

The film, which opens Rotterdam on Jan. 15, is, in some way, a quadriptych, split as it is into four chapters. Each part captures...

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The International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) on Monday unveiled its full line for its 2023 event.

After two all-virtual festivals, the IFFR is finally returning in-person fest, running January 25-February 5 in the Dutch port city. Rotterdam is one of the last major festivals to return post-pandemic, its 2022 event having been forced to go online-only at the last minute when Dutch authorities imposed a new lockdown in December last year, just weeks before the IFFR kicked off.

The resulting revenue shortfall —closed theatres equals zero ticket sales —meant IFFR had to slash its budget, cutting 15 percent of its staff and restructuring.

Festival director Vanja Kaludjercic, who runs the IFFR together with managing director Marjan van der Haar, told The Hollywood Reporter the cuts were made “in order to avoid having to make big changes to the festival.” The 2023 edition, however, will be significantly smaller than the pre-pandemic versions,...

Exclusive: Edvard Munch, painter of the iconic The Scream, is to have his life portrayed in a Norwegian feature film from Viaplay.

One of the world’s greatest artists of all time will be depicted across four stages in Munch, with a quartet of Norwegian actors boarding the feature.

Directed by Henrik M. Dahlsbakken, Munch will premiere on 27 January in Norwegian cinemas and two months later on Viaplay, the Scandi streaming service that is premiering 70 films and TV shows this year. Recent greenlights include Jana – Marked for Life and an adaptation of Ian Rankin’s Rebus.

The film opens with the story of Munch’s first love, before showing the controversy around one of his early exhibitions. Munch’s admission to a psychiatric clinic will then be covered, where he is forced to make the biggest decision of his life, before the film relates the artist’s battle to save...

Network: Netflix

Episodes: 24 (hour)

Seasons: Three

TV show dates: February 6, 2012 -- November 21, 2014

Series status: Cancelled

Performers include: Steven Van Zandt, Trond Fausa Aurvåg, Steinar Sagen, Marian Saastad Ottesen, Sven Nordin, Kyrre Hellum, and Anne Krigsvoll.

TV show description:

An over-the-hill American Mafia man requests relocation to the former Olympic village town of Lillehammer, Norway after he enters the Witness Protection Program. The underboss soon discovers that a life of crime pays well in any country.

The newly minted Giovanni Henricksen (Steven Van Zandt) sees little need to hack it as a straight citizen in his new home. Well versed in the art of getting connected, he attempts to cut his regular corners at every turn.

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Norwegian director Hallvard Bræin’s action comedy Børning received both the jury and the audiences’ film prize at the ceremony in Haugesund’s Maritim HallScroll down for full list of winners

Norwegian director Hallvard Bræin’s feature debut, Børning – a local twist of Cannonball Run (1981), which became last year’s most popular Norwegian film, taking 381,648 admissions – was also the big winner at the Amanda awards ceremony in Haugesund on Saturday (Aug 15).

At the TV2 Norge televised presentation in Haugesund’s Maritim Hall, preceding today’s opening of the 43rd Norwegian International Film Festival, Børning received Amandas – Norway’s national film prizes - including Best Norwegian Feature, the People’s Amanda, Best Supporting Actor (Henrik Mestad) and Best Sound Design (Fredric Vogel, Petter Fladeby).

The frontrunner for the awards - Norwegian director Bent Hamer 1001 Grams (1001 gram), which has so far toured 25 international film festivals – was nominated in six categories, but won only Best Original Screenplay.

For the first...