When Ali Abbasi's Swedish feature 'Border' opens at the Cannes Festival starting 8 May, a number of Danish film professionals will share the spotlight. The drama is selected for Un certain regard, Cannes' programme for original voices.
'Border' is Abbasi's second feature. The director, born in Iran and currently settled in Sweden, premiered his Danish-produced debut, the supernatural thriller 'Shelley,' in 2016 at the festivals in Göteborg and Berlin.
The film, a dark love story with supernatural elements, revolves around a customs officer, Tina, who is known for her extraordinary sense of smell. It’s almost as if she can sniff out the guilt on anyone hiding something. But when the suspicious-looking Vore walks past her, her abilities are challenged for the first time ever. Tina can sense Vore is hiding something she can’t identify. Even worse, she feels a strange attraction to him. As Tina develops a special bond with Vore and discovers his true identity, she also realises the truth about herself.
Abbasi, a 2011 graduate from the National Film School of Denmark, wrote the script with Isabella Eklöf and John Ajvide Lindqvist based on Lindqvist's novel. Eklöf debuted earlier this year as feature film director with her Danish-produced 'Holiday,' which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. Lindqvist is especially known as the creator of the story and script for Tomas Alfredson's praised horror film 'Let the Right One In' from 2008.
The team from 'Shelley'
Meta Film Stockholm is producing the film together with Sweden's Spark Film & TV and Kärnfilm. The drama is co-produced with Meta Film in Denmark, established in 2010 by producer Meta Louise Foldager Sørensen. In addition to the sister company in Stockholm, Foldager Sørensen also runs Meta Film London.
Danish talents are seen in a wide range of technical and creative functions. Nina Bisgaard is producing the film together with her Swedish colleagues Piodor Gustafsson and Petra Jönsson, while there are several familiar names from Abbasi's Danish-produced debut 'Shelley': Nadim Carlsen as cinematographer, Olivia Neergaard-Holm as editor (together with Anders Skov), Peter Hjorth as VFX supervisor, Rune Sand as sound designer and Martin Dirkov as music supervisor. In addition, Molly Malene Stensgaard acts as editing consultant, and Mikael Windelin is post-producing.
'Border' has received funding from the Danish Film Institute's support scheme for minor co-productions. The film is expected to premiere in Sweden in autumn 2018.
Cannes announced most of this year's programme on 12 April and will be revealing more titles over the coming weeks. The Cannes Festival runs from 8 to 19 May. See more at festival-cannes.com.