From the top shelf

22 March 2024

From Hollywood to Lofoten to lift the adventurous world journey of the Viking girls Hedvig and Ingeborg! “A dream come true,” says Harald Zwart.

For many years, a very special story and script have resonated with the Zwart family. Now it is clear that the story of the two Viking girls Hedvig and Ingeborg, who embark on an adventurous world trip to return something their fathers have brought with them from cruises, will be a feature-length animated film. And with that: lifting Lofoten as a Viking destination. 

? I’ve been doing animation ever since I was a little boy. That I will finally be able to make a feature-length animated film is a dream come true, says Harald Zwart, and adds: The fact that we have now also found the physical Viking world, which is so beautiful – and which is actually a place you can travel to, is really amazing. We couldn’t have gotten a better starting point.

Animators bring reality in

This week he is in Lofoten together with producer Veslemøy Ruud Zwart and responsible for the animation, Torgeir Sanders from Gimpville, precisely to lock the different locations of the film.

The film crew has long been searching for where the girls should come from. It was important to have a real place, a place that they can be inspired from – and this is exactly what they have found in Lofoten and Lofotr. And now a very special collaboration has also been put in place, between the film crew and Museum Nord.

Museum Nord is responsible for 21 museums in the region, including Lofotr at Borg. And it is at Borg that we meet the girls, around the year 1000.

“We are incredibly excited about this collaboration and have already started planning for the ripple effects the film will have for us. We have seen what other popular animated films have had for different destinations, and we will be ready to welcome this audience, says marketing manager at Museum Nord, Linn Olsen. Because there will be no doubt about where the girls come from, when the film finally hits the screen. Both landscapes, longhouses and a lot of details will be recreated, and with the collaboration important knowledge has also been exchanged: 

– In addition to the beautiful landscape, we also get access to the museum’s knowledge about the Viking Age, everything from facts to various curiosities; which makes our job even more fun,” says Veslemøy Ruud Zwart, and adds: It is no coincidence that we are in Lofoten right now and during the cod season… The popular Norwegian fish will also have a role in our film.

International focus

The Viking Girls, or ViQueens, which is the film’s international title, will receive a wide international distribution, and Sola Media, which has secured the rights, is in no doubt that the combination of Lofoten, the hero story and Zwart will be a success: 

– What an adventure of a story and commitment the Viking girls have. We are incredibly proud to be part of taking this magnificent family film out into the world, and not least: showcasing the great Lofoten and our two tough Viking girls. The film world looks to Norway and the fantastic nature we have here, and with Zwart at the helm, there are already many expectations out there, says Solveig Langeland, Director of Sola Media.

Director Harald Zwart is one of Norway’s most famous directors and is behind successes such as The Karate Kid, 12th man and the Lange flate series, just to name a few. Together with his producer wife Veslemøy Zwart, they have a very strong network in the global film industry, and are now among other things relevant as producers on the Netflix success Troll, where a new film is being made.  

In the magnificent animation “The Viking Girls”, we meet Ingeborg and Hedvig who set out on a journey to the world to bring the lost boy Chung home to their family. We get a fast-paced and playful journey, which brings the girls all the way to China. 

Chung turns out to be the son of the imperial couple of China, and in gratitude and friendship the girls return home, saving their hometown from a catastrophe with cleverness? The story will offer a lot of humor and cultural references with echoes from modern times, which will entertain and create Norwegian pride for all ages.

Facts

Produced by: Veslemøy Ruud Zwart 

Director: Harald Zwart 

Screenplay: Stella Zwart, Veslemøy Ruud Zwart and Harald Zwart 

Norwegian distributor: From the top shelf 

International distributor: Sola Media 

Animation: Gimpville 

Theatrical release: November 2027

Norwegian title: The Viking Girls