Norwegian Animation ‘Pesta’ Brings the Black Plague to Cannes Frontières Platform (EXCLUSIVE)

Clayton Davis Senior Awards Editor SPOILER ALERT: This interview discusses gargantuan plot developments in “Kill List,” Season 4, Episode 5 of “Succession,” now streaming on HBO Max. Kieran Culkin hasn’t yet watched this week’s episode of “Succession” because he’s traveling — and doesn’t like watching things on his laptop. Having wrapped filming only six weeks ago, and with upcoming episodes still in post-production, Culkin isn’t even sure how the gripping story of this family dynasty will end. The April 23 episode “Kill List” was written by Jon Brown and Ted Cohen and directed by Emmy winner Andrij Parekh (for Season 2, Episode 3, “Hunting,” aka the “boar on the floor” episode), showcased one of Roman’s most emotionally driven scenes throughout the four seasons of “Succession.” In its tension-filled 60 minutes, Culkin demonstrated his abilities as a dramatic actor during a heated exchange with streaming media giant CEO Lukas Matsson (played exquisitely by Alexander Skarsgård). In the scene on the Norwegian mountaintops, Matsson insults Roman and Kendall (Jeremy Strong), the newly minted co-CEOs of Waystar Royco, as they try to “Scooby Doo” their way out of the GoJo deal the board desperately covets.

Ethan Shanfeld SPOILER ALERT: This recap contains spoilers for Season 4, Episode 5 of “Succession,” now streaming on HBO Max. It’s a new era at Waystar Royco, as newly branded co-CEOs Kendall (Jeremy Strong) and Roman (Kieran Culkin) convene in their late father’s office to strategize for a meeting with Norwegian tech billionaire Lukas Matsson (Alexander Skarsgård). Wary of their positions post-GoJo merger — and perhaps genuinely concerned about the Roy kids’ ability to execute the deal — Gerri (J. Smith Cameron), Karl (David Rasche) and Frank (Peter Friedman) make their unwanted advice extra available, while Shiv (Sarah Snook) is conspicuously missing from the war room.

season 4, episode five, «Kill List,» written by Jon Brown and Ted Cohen and directed by Andrij Parekh, the Roy siblings — Kendall (Jeremy Strong), Roman (Kieran Culkin) and Shiv (Sarah Snook) — are summoned to Norway for a team-building retreat by GoJo CEO Lukas Matsson (Alexander Skarsgård). However, Waystar Royco's old guard of executives, including Gerri Kellman (J. Smith-Cameron), grows increasingly concerned over the trip's true purpose.

Manori Ravindran Executive Editor of International The Kardashians are heading back to E! — sort of. The NBCUniversal-backed cabler has acquired two-part series “The Kardashians: A Billion Dollar Dynasty,” which will air on E! in the U.S. on May 1. The show marks the family’s return to E!, which was the home of “Keeping Up With the Kardashians” for more than 20 seasons. After the reality behemoth concluded in 2021, the clan struck a deal with streamer Hulu for “The Kardashians,” which launched in 2022 and was recently renewed for Season 3. The Optomen-produced two-part “specialty” series, which is being sold internationally by All3Media International, details how the family became one of the world’s most recognized brands, and changed the face of social media while achieving extreme wealth.

Norwegian comedy series Power Play has won Best Series in the Canneseries International Competition.

Marta Balaga Norwegian political satire “Power Play” proved unbeatable at Canneseries, just like its headstrong protagonist, picking up awards for best series and music. The show, focusing on Norway’s first female Prime Minister, Gro Harlem Brundtland, and starting out in the 1970s, turned out to be a timely proposition, as noted by showrunner Johan Fasting, who co-wrote with Silje Storstein and Kristin Grue.   “It’s hard to persevere in politics, especially for women. We wanted to go behind the scenes of social democracy as well, see how it has dissolved and turned into what we have today. It felt like the right time to look at the mechanisms of power,” he told Variety earlier this week.

MipTV on Sunday, sharing in a dead heat the Buyers Coup de Coeur at the first MipDoc International Buyer Screenings.  A bold experiment, the Screenings saw MipTV allocate he prime market real estate of mid Sunday afternoon traditionally reserved for a drama showcase to documentaries, taking in features, TV specials and series.  In industrial terms the winners could hardly be more different. “The Caravan” is made by Cabal Films, a small Barcelona independent; the three-episode “Prison Project” is produced by Sweden’s SVT in co-production with other public broadcasters in Finland (Yle), Norway (NRK) and Denmark (DR).

Trouble at sea! The Below Deck franchise has had its fair share of drama over the years — and Below Deck Adventure is no different.

Leo Barraclough International Features Editor Eco-thriller “The Swarm,” which premiered at the Berlin Film Festival, has been acquired in the U.K. by pay-TV operator Sky. Negotiations with a U.S. partner are in the final stages. The show, produced by multiple Primetime Emmy award winner and “Game of Thrones” executive producer Frank Doelger and NDF IP’s managing director Eric Welbers, is set to play on the Sky Max channel in the U.K. later this year. “The Swarm” scored huge ratings in Germany on ZDF and on Austria’s ORF. In Germany, it attracted up to 10 million views per episode (linear and catch-up combined), multiple prime time wins, and big successes within the younger target group (between the ages of 14-49).

Leo Barraclough International Features Editor Abacus Media Rights has pre-sold a documentary feature with the working title “We Need to Talk About Kanye” to several territories. The film, which was ordered by the BBC in February, explores the rollercoaster life and career of Kanye West, A.K.A. Ye. Its producer Jeremy Lee spoke to Variety, ahead of MipTV, the TV market and conference, which kicks off Monday in Cannes. A number of high-profile broadcasters and platforms have already acquired the film, which is fronted by the investigative journalist Mobeen Azhar, including Foxtel in Australia, NPO in the Netherlands, TV4 in Sweden and Finland, NRK in Norway, TV2 in Denmark, and VRT in Flemish Belgium.

Marta Balaga Gro Harlem Brundtland started out as a doctor. Climbing the ranks, she became Norway’s first female Prime Minister. Now, new show “Power Play” takes a closer look at her way to the top.  “She is aware that we made it,” says showrunner Johan Fasting, who co-wrote with Silje Storstein and Kristin Grue. Currently in her eighties, Brundtland wasn’t involved in developing the series, however.   “This story needed to be told, now. It wouldn’t make sense to wait just to be courteous.” Playing in main competition at his year’s Canneseries, which runs April 14-19, “Power Play” is produced by Motlys and Novemberfilm, with REinvent International Sales handling international distribution.  

Editors note: This review was originally published May 22 after its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival. The film opened in New York on Wednesday and today in Los Angeles.

EXCLUSIVE: The Match Factory will be handling world sales on Wim Wenders’ Japan-set Cannes Competition entry Perfect Days.

Manori Ravindran Executive Editor of International Alex Wolff will play Leonard Cohen in a new series about the Canadian icon and his muse Marianne Ihlen. Thea Sofie Loch Næss (“The Last Kingdom,” “Delete Me”) will portray Ihlen in the show, which is called “So Long, Marianne” — the title of one of Cohen’s songs about his partner. Other cast members include Anna Torv (“The Newsreader,” “The Last of Us”) as Charmian Clift and Noah Taylor (“Preacher,” “Peaky Blinders”) as George Johnston. The show is a co-production between Norwegian broadcaster NRK and Canada’s Crave, the streaming service owned by Bell Media. Cineflix Rights is distributing the series globally.

Ferry Tales, a theatrical production featuring stories and short tales about Potomac life performed at site-specific locations by actors Colie Aziza, Vanessa Gilbert, and Serena Rasoul and created and directed by Caitlin Nasema Cassidy (4/7-8, The REACH; 4/13, Georgetown Canal Boat; 4/14, various on-site locations; 4/15, The REACH).The Potomac will also factor into paintings created by guest artists Yasmine Iskander, Daniela Godoy, and Raiz Campos on site at Kennedy Center grounds during various times this weekend and next as part of “Potomac River Plein Air Outdoor Painting” (4/8-4/9, 4/15-16, various on-site locations).Other notable, date-specific programming at RiverRun include:A Moonlit Night on the Spring River, a unique concert, curated and led by composer/conductor Huang Ruo, celebrating the enchanting and diverse landscapes and rivers of China and featuring ancient and new music, including pieces for piano, violin, cello, pipa, and voice (4/12, Terrace Theater).Hanging by a Thread: Life on the Nile, a presentation by Ahdaf Soueif, part of the “Talking Rivers, Talking Water” series, about the Nile River’s role in the lives of everyday Egyptians and how that relationship has changed over the past 7,000 years (4/13, Justice Forum).Terje Isungset Ice Quartet, a concert by the percussionist-led Norwegian quartet, internationally known as the pioneer of ice music, using musical instruments all made out of blocks of natural ice harvested from lakes and rivers in Norway — from a harp to a horn to a drum set (4/14-15, Terrace).Debbie Allen’s Red Birds in “What About Us?”, the legendary dancer leads her company of young dancers, ages 8 to 18 and trained in classical ballet, jazz, hip-hop, aerial arts, and acting, for a

Manchester City are in a thoroughly luxurious position at the minute when it comes down to their attacking options.

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent Netflix is set to reteam with Anne Bjørnstad and Eilif Skodvin, the creators of the popular crime comedy series “Lilyhammer,” on a new Norwegian program, with the working title “Salmon Island.” The series is set up at leading Norwegian production banner Rubicon and will be helmed by Marit Moum Aune (“Made in Oslo”), who also serves as a conceptual director on the series. “Salmon Island” takes place in a small coastal community in Norway and revolves around two families who are sworn enemies in the global salmon industry. The contemporary series delivers a portrait of the fish farming business, weaving together comedy and drama.

Sargon of Akkad as the first regent to rule, an orphan turned royal cup bearer with a goddess on his side, Sargon conquered and unified Mesopotamia some four thousand odd years ago.In ancient Egypt, pharos wore crowns to connect them to depictions of their deities and to invoke the power they possessed. These days, crowns and kings are more about pageantry than pagan veneration and only twelveEuropean nations maintain a form of monarchy; Andorra, Belgium, Denmark, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, the Vatican and of course the UK and its colonies which we now call territories because colonialism was and is the scourge of humanity, owed in large part to the monstrous monarchs that propagated it.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Indie sales agency All Rights Entertainment has achieved a string of pre-sales on “Lendarys,” a family adventure animation film that is currently in advanced stages of production and set for delivery later this year. The film was licensed to KMBO (France); Flins & Piniculas (Spain); Another World Entertainment (Denmark and Norway); Njuta Films (Sweden); Outsider Films (Portugal); Blitz Film (Ex-Yugoslavia), Five Stars Distribution (Israel), Selim Ramia and Co. (Middle East and North Africa), The Film Group (Greece & Cyprus), Kino Swiat (Poland), Nashe Kino (CIS excluding Baltics), ACME Film (Baltic States) and Madness Entertainment (Mexico).

The Cannes Film Festival has renewed its short film competition partnership with TikTok for a second year in a move that is likely to come under scrutiny amid the global debate over the platform’s privacy and data security record.