Despite losing a director and $1.1m(Eu0.9) state funding
for Fallen Angels - the second instalment of the Varg Veum project, a
$12.9m (Euros 9.8m) package of two theatrical features and
four TV movies - Norway's SF Norge producer Guttorm Petterson
is certain production will proceed as planned.

'We expect to name a new director of Fallen Angels in three or four
weeks, and to start principal photography in late August, as originally
scheduled,' Petterson explained.

Originally Norwegian actor-turned-director Aksel Hennie had been
attached to the film, but he pulled out because it clashed with another
assignment.

As a result, SF Norge had to withdraw its application for state funding, which the Norwegian Film Fund had already approved.


'With a new director - contracted - in place, we expect the film fund
will decide to continuously support the production in June, so we can
go ahead,' he added.

Staged by SF Norge with Denmark's Miso Film, Norway's so far most
expensive film project is based Norwegian author Gunnar Staalesen's
best-selling novels about the Bergen-based private investigator, Veum,
played by Trond Espen Seim in the whole series.

Norwegian director Ulrik Imtiaz Rolfsen (Izzat) has already shot Bitter
Flowers, the first theatrical feature, which is now in post, to be
launched domestically in September 2007.


Norwegian director Erik Richter Strand (who directed the award-winning
Sons) will realise all four television movies, starting with Sleeping
Beauty and Yours, Till Death this week (Feb 26). They will air on
Norway and Denmark's TV2, Sweden's TV4 and Finland's YLE.

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