Max Manus selected for Toronto gala

Norwegian directors Joachim Rønning and Espen Sandberg’s Max Manus will have its North American première at a gala screening during the 34th Toronto International Film Festival September 10-19, 2009.

Co-director Cameron Bailey has confirmed the presentation will take place during the last weekend of the festival, ”which will guarantee a full, enthusiastic house.” From the cast Norwegian actor Aksel Hennie, who plays the lead, and German actor Ken Duken will attend.

Produced by John M. Jacobsen and Sveinung Golimo for Filmkameratene, the World War II epic has exceeded 1.1 million admissions domestically, to become the best-grossing Norwegian feature for the last 30 years.

Max Manus is nominated in 10 categories for the Amanda (Norway’s national film prize), which will be announced on August 21, during the Norwegian International Film Festival in Haugesund. Recently it received five Kanon awards from the Norwegian film industry at Kosmorama Film Festival in Trondheim.

Considered one of the most important showcases in North America, Toronto last year screened 312 films selected from 4,209 submissions; 64 countries were represented. Participants included more than 1,000 press.

Source: Nfi.no