‘The Investigation’ Producer Miso Film Turns 20 With Packed Slate, Including ‘Uniform,’ DR’s New Crime Series Starring ‘Face to Face,’ ‘The Guilty’ Actors (EXCLUSIVE)

by

In the challenging Scandinavian market that’s gradually bouncing back from the decline of Viaplay and streaming platforms reducing their commission rates, Miso Film – a strong Nordic player owned by Fremantle, responsible for Tobias Lindholm’s “The Investigation” and “Those Who Kill” – isn’t simply managing to survive; it’s flourishing instead.

The banner, Miso Film, continues to be led by its original co-founders Peter Bose and Jonas Allen. This dynamic duo has created numerous legendary series, such as “Beck,” “Wallander,” “Those Who Kill,” “Dicte,” and “1864.” To mark their 20th anniversary, they are unveiling a full schedule of premium television shows and films showcasing the finest talent from Scandinavia.

Miso Film, founded by Peter Bose and Jonas Allen, is still in charge. They’ve produced many well-known series like “Beck,” “Wallander,” and others over the past 20 years. Now, they’re celebrating their anniversary with a bunch of new, high-quality shows and movies featuring top talent from Scandinavia.

Miso recently debuted Tomas Alfredson’s film “Faithless,” an adaptation of Ingmar Bergman’s movie, at the Toronto Film Festival competition. Currently, they are working on a six-episode series based on Linn Ullmann’s bestselling novel “The Cold Song” and “Royal Blood,” an extensive historical project set in 1807, during a time when royal families were at odds across Denmark-Norway and Sweden.

As a cinephile, I’m thrilled to share that the latest addition to their production lineup is “Uniform,” a six-part prime-time crime series. This gripping series is set to air on Danish broadcasters and will be masterfully directed by none other than Janus Metz, renowned for his work in “Armadillo” and “True Detective.” The script was brilliantly crafted by Oscar Giese (“2 Days”) and Anders August (“Follow The Money”). I can’t wait to see it unfold on our screens!

The filming for the series will commence in March, taking place in Copenhagen. It will feature popular Nordic actors such as Lena Maria Christensen (“Face to Face”), Jakob Cedergren (“The Guilty”), Marco Ilsø (“Bullshit”), Clara Rosager (“1899”), Gustav Giese (“The Quiet Ones”), Soheil Bavi (“Darkland”), and Sarah Boberg (“The Bridge”).

The story unfolds following an incident where a Police Academy trainee fatally shoots an agitated young man during a forceful apprehension. This event stirs debates about the application of force and police instruction. The principal of the academy, Sanne Hammerby, faces mounting scrutiny as Internal Affairs delves into the case. As the truth becomes murky, both trainees and staff are forced to grapple with the weighty decisions and immense responsibility that comes with donning the uniform.

Bose commends August and Giese for crafting an “interesting and relatable tale,” which, under the guidance of Janus Metz, is expected to be beautifully expressed, given his distinctive approach and innovative perspective. The series is being produced by Bose alongside Sofie Bergstein and Jonas Allen at Miso Film.

Speaking as a fan, I must say that “The Uniform” seems to share similar motifs to the powerful and thought-provoking film by Metz, titled “Armadillo,” which was his gripping thriller from 2010 about Danish soldiers dispatched to Afghanistan in 2009.

Metz expressed excitement about creating a unique series that explores the origin of the Danish police force. What makes this series stand out is its unusual setting: it takes place within a school environment, allowing us to encounter our characters during their training. It’s an uncommon blend of police drama and coming-of-age tale that hasn’t been explored much in Danish television before.”

“The series titled ‘Uniform’ is set to air on DR early next year and has already been acquired by public broadcasters such as SVT in Sweden, NRK in Norway, YLE in Finland, and RUV in Iceland.

Two years ago, the Danish production sector experienced a significant blow when commissions dropped by 50% following a dispute between streamers and Create Denmark, a union representing actors and filmmakers. This affected Viaplay, the leading local streamer for Nordic series, which nearly went bankrupt and is now producing very few originals. However, Bose points out that it wasn’t just Viaplay facing difficulties; he also notes HBO leaving the market and Disney reducing its involvement in local productions.

Participating in Fremantle allowed Miso to keep going and create numerous projects amidst the crisis. Consequently, Allen stated that he and Bose were able to finance development independently, with backing from Fremantle. This implies that by the time streaming services began purchasing again, Miso had already produced several quality productions ready to go.

During that moment, many were fleeing in a frenzy, but Peter and I stayed put and chose to return to projects we trusted, focusing on our main area of expertise: high-end dramas and an exceptional team of creatives. Now, we’re expanding our clientele, working with public broadcasters, commercial networks, and streaming platforms that are still active in the industry,” Allen explains.

One positive outcome from these challenging times has been that Nordic broadcasters have become more proactive, according to the duo. They’ve been bold in backing original narratives, which aligns with Miso Film’s inherent nature. As producers, a significant part of their role is identifying suitable collaborators for each project, sometimes needing a bit of ‘courage’ to make it happen.

Bose emphasizes that “Royal Blood” reflects Miso Film’s aspiration to create narratives significant to the Nordic area yet relatable globally. He describes it as having a distinctly Scandinavian flavor in its themes, relevance, and content. In addition to delving into romantic comedies and dramedies, the company has also ventured into such genres recently. Miso Film, one of Netflix’s major suppliers of Nordic series, has recently produced “A Copenhagen Love Story,” a streamer-exclusive series that follows a young couple trying to conceive a child while dealing with fertility treatments.

Miso’s triumph is significantly influenced by its connections with creative professionals, which has been a cornerstone of our strategy since the company’s inception 20 years ago. As Bose explains, “We prioritize access to these gifted filmmakers and actors, and it has played a crucial role in our journey so far. Our producer team maintains a selective slate with around 10-15 projects to ensure that we can dedicate our full attention to bringing each project to life according to our vision.

Christian Vesper, CEO Global Drama and Film, praises Peter and Jonas for cultivating a remarkable culture at Miso that consistently pushes creative limits while discovering top-tier IP with local talent capable of competing on a global scale, making an impact. In a turbulent market undergoing significant transformations, these two leaders have demonstrated exceptional leadership by delivering outstanding series to both streamers and PSBs, thereby helping the company maintain stability and restructure for robust international expansion during this historic 20-year milestone of Miso’s magic-making.

Read More

2025-02-12 10:17