Swedish Film Institute backs Easy Money sequel

Swedish director Babar Najafi’s Easy Money II (Snabba Cash II), the first of two sequels for the 2010 thriller which exceeded 600,000 admissions domestically – and Danish-Swedish director Kathrine Windfeld’s Hamilton-In the Interest of the Nation (Hamilton – I nationens interesse), the return of Sweden’s most famous secret agent, have both been allocated funding by the Swedish Institute.

Allocating $3.8 million (SEK 25 million) production funding for five local features, the Swedish Film Institute has doled out $1.2 million (SEK 8 million) and $0.8 million (SEK 5 million) for the two thrillers, respectively.

Najafi, whose feature debut, Sebbe, garnered him a Guldbagge – Sweden’s national film prize – has taken over the Easy Money franchise from Daniel Espinosa, to lead Joel Kunnaman, Matias Varela, Dragomir Mrsic and Fares Fares through new adventures.

Based on the rest of Swedish lawyer-turned-author Jens Lapidus’ Stockholm Noir Trilogy, Never Fuck Up (Aldrig fucka upp) and a novel still in the writing, Fredrik Wikström will produce for Tre Vänner Produktion, starting principal photography for No 1 last month (Aug), from Maria Karlsson and Peter Birro’s script.

Swedish author Jan Guillou’s secret agent Carl Hamilton, who was last portrayed by Peter Stormare in a 2001 TV miniseries, will be revived by Windfeld and Swedish producer Johan Mardell, which has planned three features with Mikael Persbrandt in the lead.

After Hamilton has disclosed illegal arms dealers on top European government level, Pampas Produktion is planning two further installments, including In Her Majesty’s Service (I hennes majestäts tjänst/1994) and But not if It Concerns Your Daughter (Men inte om det gällar din dottor/2008).

After A Midsummer Night’s Party (Sommaren med Göran/2009), Swedish director Staffan Lindberg reunites with scriptwriter Peter Magnusson and producer Lena Rehnberg for Once Upon a Time in Phuket (En gång i Phuket), a romantic comedy for which Stella Nova Film received $0.9 million (SEK 6 million). Peter Magnusson, stars as a life coach who goes to Thailand to fullfil his dreams as a writer – and meets two women.

Also on the Swedish Film Institute support line-up is Palme, Swedish directors Maud Nycancer and Kristina Lindström’ s documentary of “a man who changed history” – Swedish minister of state Olof Palme, who was assassinated in the streets of Stockholm 25 years ago. Awarded $0.4 million (SEK 2.5 million), the film will be produced by Fredrik Heinig and Mattias Nohrborg for St Paul Film.