Czech coproducer, Pavel Berčík from Evolution Films (www.evolutionfilms.cz) told FNE, “The Norwegian company decided to shoot in the Czech Republic not only because of the financial possibilities but also thanks to the special relationship of the Czech Republic with the director Bård Breien and his debut film The Art of Negative Thinking.” Berčík was referring to that the film’s International career which started when it won the 2007 Crystal Globe for best director at the Karlovy Vary IFF (www.kviff.com) followed by its adaptation into a stage play performed to full houses in the Czech Republic. Berčík also explained why the Czech company wanted to coproduce a film that does not have a Czech component in the story: “For Evolution Films, the main reason was that the script and the whole project were very interesting to us and we wanted to be a part of it and to help its realization.”
The film budget is 92 m CZK (3.6 m EUR). It is a coproduction between the Norwegian company Friland Produksjon (The Headhunters), Evolution Films, the Danish company Nimbus and Germany’s Unafilm. Evolution Films received a grant of 8 m CZK (315,000 EUR) from the Czech State Fund for the Support and Development of Czech Cinema (www.mkcr.cz), and the project will also benefit from the Czech film incentives, The Film Industry Support Programme (www.ppfpen.cz) which offers a 20 % rebate on costs spent in the Czech Republic. The film is also supported by the Norwegian Film Institute, the Nordic Film and Television Fund, the Danish Film Institute and Eurimages.
The main part will be played by Svein André Hofsø, an actor with Down’s syndrome. The shooting in the Czech Republic will last until mid-October.
The theatrical release is scheduled for fall 2013. TrustNordisk is handling international sales. The Czech distributor will be CinemArt (www.cinemart.cz), which distributed The Art of Negative Thinking.
Production Information
Director: Bård Breien
Producers: Asle Vatn, Pål Roed, Pavel Berčík, Ondřej Zima, Bo Ehrhardt
Script: Bård Breien and Eske Troelstrup
Director of Photography: Gaute Gunnari
Architect: Jindřich Kočí
Production Contact:
Pavel Berčík
Evolution Films
Phone: +420 777 932 957,
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
International contact:
Asle Vatn
Friland Produksjon
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Pål Roed
Phone: +47 932 13 555
