Scripted Hot Pick: Wisting

Distributor: Banijay Rights
Producer: Cinenord and Good Company Films
Broadcaster: MTG for Viaplay, TV3 (Sweden), ARD (Germany)
Logline: An ambitious Norwegian detective thriller starring Carrie-Anne Moss

Norway’s latest drama is a trans-Atlantic detective thriller starring Carrie-Anne Moss (The Matrix) and Sven Nordin (Lilyhammer) as they attempt to catch a serial killer from the US.

The 10 x 45-minute series follows homicide detective Wisting (Nordin) as he encounters one of the most challenging cases of his life. A wanted American serial killer is on the loose in Norway, as his daughter – an intrepid journalist – is chasing headlines, leading her straight to him.

Meanwhile, Moss’s character, an FBI agent who has spent her career chasing the killer, is brought into the investigation, leading to a clash of cultures and personalities between the investigative duo.

“Wisting takes the best facets of Scandinavian television – brilliant characterisation, cinematic visuals, and gripping narratives – and blends it with the onscreen richness and premium talent of a US series,” says Chris Stewart, commercial director for scripted at Banijay.

The series, which was adapted from the novels of Jorn Lier Horst, a former senior investigation officer, is intentionally ambitious. Stewart says it follows the footsteps of acclaimed series Lilyhammer, Occupied and Valkyrien.

“It is shot on a cinematic scale which obviously brings with it a significant budget. Drama at this level is expensive and the budget of Wisting is comparable to that of any premium series produced in the UK and Europe,” he says.

Wisting, a Cinenord and Good Company Films production, commissioned by MTG for Viaplay, TV3 and ARD, combines both English and Norwegian language, which Stewart hopes will give the series a certain level of accessibility.

“We hope this will be of particular impact in the US where premium players are opening their doors to more and more non-US produced content,” he says.

Having discovered the series at this January’s Goteborg TV Festival, Banijay will bring the title to the international market for this first time at MIPTV.

Most Recent