Nordicana Festival In London Celebrates Best Of Scandinavian Drama With Cast, Writers From 'The Killing', 'Borgen', 'The Bridge' And More

Need To Scratch That Scandinavian Itch? Then Nordicana's Just For You...
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Nordicana
NordicNoir

Still missing 'The Killing's heroine Sarah Lund? Hanging on for the third series of 'Borgen'? Wondering what they can possibly do with the next instalment of 'The Bridge'? You're not alone. There are a lot of Nordic Noir-ites out there.

If it's feeling like time to scratch that Scandinavian itch, there's a special event in the offing just for you. The very first Nordicana Expo will be taking place in London the weekend after next, for a feast of Scandinavian crime and thriller fiction and film.

Special guests at the two-day event will include the author Arne Dahl, plus stars of his hit series recently finished on BBC4, as well as the creator of 'Borgen', Adam Price, and 'The Killing' novelist David Hewson.

There will be panel discussions, signings, exclusive screenings, talks, retail stands, books, DVD and Blu-ray, as well as a plethora of food and drink - all Scandinavian, naturally. Don't eat before you come.

Highlights of the two-day festival in London, include:

  • Novelist David Hewson explaining how he decanted 20 hours of television into one book for 'The Killing'
  • Finale screening, plus Q&A with author Ahne Dahl and the stars of his hit series
  • Film screenings of 'Accused', 'The Hijacking', 'Love Is All You Need'
  • Dramatising Politics - An episode of 'Borgen' plus discussion with creator Adam Price, plus his UK counterparts Paula Milne ('The Politician's Husband') and Kath Mattock ('Murder')

Jon Sadler of Arrow Films, which is responsible for distributing the Nordic Noir brand in the UK, and co-host of the event along with English Pen, explains why it's time to bring all these shows together in one place...

"With the third series of 'Borgen' and the second series of 'The Bridge' on their way here, and with Arne Dahl's show finishing recently on TV, we wanted to provide something special for all those fans of Nordic Noir while they're waiting.

"We've had a great response from our Nordic Noir film club screenings, so we knew the demand was there for this kind of event. It's a great excuse to get the fans together so they can sit and watch these shows with other like minds and meet their favourite actors and writers.

"We've done our best to bring together different things of interest for people, for this event, the first one of its kind. With any luck, it can become an annual event, and we can out into the regions too."

Building on the success of 'Girl With the Dragon Tattoo' and even the UK version of 'Wallander', it's clear that Scandinavian drama is on the crest of its wave. But is Jon Sparrow worried that, like all fads, this one could disappear as quickly as it arrived?

"There's an element of fashion when it comes to TV," he concedes. "People latched onto the Danish and Scandinavian thing because it felt quite exotic - they're like us but different. And the novelty aspects, like Sarah Lund's woolly jumper, inevitably lose their power.

"But these shows are exceptionally well written and produced, with even the bit part players all acting to high standard, they were around for quite a while before us Brits discovered them, and I hope this quality will ultimate keep this genre from being a flash in the pan."

Click here for information on tickets, talks and screenings at the Nordicana Festival. And here's some footage of Sidse Babett Knudsen chatting about 'Borgen', just to get you in the mood...

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