Lisa Aschan had been originally awarded the $700,000 prize.

She Monkeys director Lisa Aschan has handed back the women’s filmmaking grant awarded by the Stockholm International Film Festival – the grant includes cash, services and a Nordic-Baltic distribution contract with Sweden’s NonStop Entertainment.

Swedish director Sofia Norlin has now taken over the $700,000 (SEK 5 million) scholarship for her new feature Tenderness (Ömheten)

”Aschan and her producer Anna-Maria Kantarius have decided that Aschan’s Deposit (Förvaret) is probably not the most suitable project for the concept – they will continue the development of the film, but have resolved with the jury that the scholarship be transferred to another nominée,” said the festival.

“I am glad that Norlin has received the money, and I wish her and her team good luck with the production,” added Aschan.

One of 30 applicants and among the five considered for the top prize, Norlin will start principal photography for her first feature in March on locations in Kiruna, the northernmost city of Sweden, and ready the film for a premiere during this year’s Stockholm International Film Festival. Olivier Guerpillon will produce for DFM.

Kiruna is situated on a mine, which is its pounding centre as well as a force threatening to tear it apart, forcing people to move away. Sebastian Hiort of Ornäs (Sebbe) will play the lead in the story of young people taking the first steps towards building a new society, while the ground is literally shaking under their feet.

Paris-based Norlin studied film at the University of St Denis in Paris and at the Stockholm Film School.

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