Two Nordisk Film titles selected to world premiere at Toronto International Film Festival

Two Nordisk Film titles have been chosen to make their big screen debuts at the upcoming Toronto International Film Festival. The films, Before the Frost  and That Time of Year, will both be shown in the festival’s Contemporary World Cinema section.

Before the Frost, produced by René Ezra, Matilda Appelin, and Tomas Radoor for Nordisk Film Production A/S, with Nordic distribution through Nordisk Film, marks award-winning director Michael Noer’s return to Danish film after directing the American biographical film Papillon (2017). The film stars the internationally acclaimed Jesper Christensen, who is known for his role as Mr. White in the most recent series of James Bond films, as well as his lead role in the Academy Award-nominated production, The King’s Choice (2016).

Before the Frost depicts the dilemma of an old farmer, Jens, as winter approaches in rural, 1850s Denmark. With his family facing the prospect of starvation, Jens is forced to make an unbearable choice. Forsaking his own moral and what is most precious to him, Jens must settle an agreement with a wealthy nearby farmer for the sake of his family’s survival and their pursuit of a better life. The dark drama features Noer’s return to his distinct visual style and philosophy of “reality rules,” as well as cinematography by the renowned Sturla Brandth Grøvlen.

That Time of Year  is a quirky ensemble dramedy about a dysfunctional family gathered around Christmas time. Directed by Paprika Steen, the film features a cast of stars, including Sofie Gråbøl, Jacob Lohman, Lars Brygmann, Karen-Lise Mynster, Lars Knutzon, Patricia Schumann, and Fanny Leander Bornedal. That Time Of Year  tells the story of a family united around Christmas Eve, a gathering that includes divorced parents, the youngest sister and her new husband, and the teenage daughter struggling for her mother’s attention.

While the traditional holiday gathering promises good spirit and peace, such promises prove to be an illusion as long-standing discontent boils to the surface, shattering the idyllic vision of Christmas time with family. That Time of Year  is produced by Mikael Rieks for Nordisk Film Production A/S, with support from TV2, FilmFyn v/Bo Damgaard, and the Danish Film Institute, and has Nordic distribution through Nordisk Film.

The Toronto International Film Festival takes place from September 6th – 16th. That Time of Year will open in Denmark on November 8th, while Before the Frost will be released on January 10th of 2019.