Veteran Icelandic producer Hlín Jóhannsdóttir of Ursus Parvus, behind titles from some Iceland’s most renowned filmmakers including Fridrik Thor Fridriksson, Dagur Kári and Rúnar Rúnarsson, has signed with French-U.K. sales outfit Alief on the coming-of-age “Just a Kid” (“Bara barn”) by up-and-coming writer-director Vala Ómarsdóttir.
To be pitched at New Nordic Films’ Works in Progress in Haugesund, Aug. 27, the project fits into Jóhannsdóttir’s roster of debut features by talented female directors, next to “Quake” by Tinna Hrafnsdóttir, which Alief sold to more than 20 territories including Juno Films in the U.S.
Hlín Jóhannsdóttir, Hilmar Oddsson, Þröstur Leó Gunnarsson and Hera Hilmar
Besides Alief, which chipped in an Minimum Guarantee, a strong partner on the project is Estonian producer Marianne Ostrat of Alexandra Film, producer of Sundance winner and Estonian Oscar entry ”Smoke Sauna Sisterhood,” co-produced by Ursus Parvus.
In “Just a Kid,” the story turns on 16-year old Julia (Birgitta Marín Thorsdottir) who’s moved from Norway to Iceland and struggles to balance caring for her younger sister with fitting in at a new school. Drawn to charismatic Salka (Hafrún Arna Levy from “When the Light Breaks In”) and the school newspaper, she begins to find her voice. But when a traumatic drunken night resurfaces, Júlía must confront shame, family responsibilities and the courage to tell her own story, reads the logline.
