Today, SF Studios and REinvent International Sales release the trailer for the Norwegian Christmas feature film Brightly Shining, based on Ingvild Rishøi’s critically acclaimed and bestselling novel of the same name. The film is directed by Ida Sagmo Tvedte who has also written the script together with the author Ingvild H. Rishøi. The film had its world premiere at the prestigious children’s film festival Giffoni International Film Festival on July and will have its theatrical premiere on October 17 in Norway.
The novel, which went straight onto the bestseller lists upon its release, has been published in 30 countries and been praised by both Oprah Winfrey and international pop star Dua Lipa.
Brightly Shining is a heartwarming Christmas adventure about a father and his two daughters Melissa (16 years old) and Ronja (10 years old) and takes place at Tøyen in Oslo. Christmas is approaching, and when their father loses his job as a Christmas tree seller, Ronja and Melissa take over the responsibility. While their father drowns his sorrows in the Stargate pub, the two girls are forced to fend for themselves and dream of a different reality. It is a film about a father who does his best, but is not enough; about an older sister who has far too big shoes to fill; and about a little sister who never stops hoping.
The sisters Melissa and Ronja are played by Anna Drakopoulou Sverrirdottir (age 15) and Luiza Idrizi (age 9) and their father is played by Bartek Kaminski (The Ambassador, Norsemen). The cast also includes Staffan Göthe (A Royal Secret, A Serious Game), Tevje Espeland (Hybris, Elevrådet), Damir Babovic (In Order of Disappearance, Home Ground), Suheib Ahmed (10 years), Ingvild Holthe Bygdnes (Luka and the Magical Theater, Monster), Hamza Kader (22 July, Tilt) and Shana Mathai and Jan Gunnar Røise, both currently in Power Play.
Brightly Shining is produced by Hege Hauff Hvattum at Motlys with support from the Norwegian Film Institute and co-financing from Nordic Film & TV Fond and Oslo Film Fond. SF Studios distributes the film in the Nordics and REinvent handles international sales.
Watch the trailer here.