Pål Sletaune is one of Norway’s leading writers and directors. Sletaune has gained great creative and commercial success both with his feature films and drama series.

1997 marked the release of his first feature film, Junk Mail, which quickly became a big hit among critics and audiences. Junk Mail was among else selected as the Norwegian entry for ‘Best Foreign Language Film’ at the 70th Academy Awards, won ‘Best Film’ at the Amanda Awards, and was selected for the critic’s week at Cannes Festival, where it was awarded the top prize in its category. Among Sletaune’s other films one can find You Really Got Me (2001), Next Door (2005), and Babycall (2011). Sletaune is also one of the directors on the first season of the highly successful series Occupied (2015).

Sletaune is, together with Sara Johnsen, creator, writer and director of the acclaimed TV drama 22 July, a series about the everyday heroes who took action following the terror attack in Norway in 2011. 22 July premiered in January 2020 and has been lauded in Norwegian and international press. At the Golden Screen Awards, 22 July was voted ‘Best TV Drama’ and Sletaune won in the category ‘Best Director’.

Nordic Entertainment (NENT) Group is adapting Martin Österdahl’s Max Anger novels as an original series for its Viaplay streaming service.

Adam Lundgren and Evin Ahmad co-star in the Swedish action thriller produced by Nice Drama in co-production with UK-based Twelve Town.

In the series, Max Anger has just been given a shot at peace when he falls for Pashie, a colleague at the Russia-focused think tank Vektor. When she suddenly goes missing in St. Petersburg, Max is desperate to find her. His efforts take him deep into a world of crime, corruption and international intrigue in Russia’s volatile and shrouded criminal underbelly.

The series is directed by Lisa Farzaneh and Jesper W. Nielsen, based on the screenplay by head-writer Mikael Newihl, co-written with Anders Sparring, Pauline Wolff and Jörgen Hjerdt.

The eight-part series will premiere exclusively across the Nordic region on Viaplay in late 2021.

C More and TV4 have ordered an eighth season of The Sandhamn Murders, with filming already underway. The series is one of TV4’s most successful crime dramas, and season 7 recently premiered on C More with outstanding viewer ratings.

As in season 7, the series is based on the characters of Viveca Sten’s crime novels, but the plots of the original books and the TV adaption diverge. Sara Heldt and Johan Widerberg are the writers for season 8, while Mattias Ohlsson and Niklas Ohlson direct. Alexandra Rapaport will reprise her lead role as Nora Linde.

There is currently no set release date for season eight.

The official bestseller lists for week 33 in Norway see Jørn Lier Horst & Thomas Enger’s Unhinged take the No. 4 spot on the e-book list, while Jo Nesbø’s Knife comes in at No. 6 in paperback. It’s followed by Stefan Ahnhem’s X Ways to Die at No. 8, and Horst’s The Inner Darkness at No. 9. Finally, in the hardcover category, Horst & Hans Jørgen Sandnes come in at No. 10 with The Search for the Last Dinosaur.

The French broadcaster TF1 has ordered a local adaptation of the lauded UK crime drama Marcella. The remake, produced by Elephant, will be titled Rebecca and star Anne Marivin as the titular detective, who returns to work six years after abandoning the hunt for a serial killer and quitting the police force.

The highly successful original show, Marcella, was created by Hans Rosenfeldt and recently released its third season on Netflix.

Maja Säfström’s Amazing Facts About Baby Animals has been shortlisted for The Swedish Library Association’s Carl von Linné plaque, awarded for the best children’s and young adult’s non-fiction work of the year. The winner is set to be announced in the coming weeks.

Sofia Lundberg’s A Question Mark Is Half a Heart is one of Iceland’s top sellers this summer, featuring on Eymundsson’s bestseller lists for six weeks straight and landing a No. 4 spot on the paperback list as well as a No. 5 one on the comprehensive list. Eymundsson is Iceland’s largest chain of bookstores.