Based on a story by Norwegian Headhunters author Jo Nesbø, Norwegian director Magnus Martens’ Jackpot (Arme Riddere) has been selected for the Tribeca Film Festival, which takes place in New York between 18-29 April. The action-comedy will screen in the festivals Cinemania section, which should ”tempt audience to experience the most exciting genre films from all corners of the globe.”
"With Cinemania, our selections demonstrate the imagination and resourcefulness of filmmakers from around the world who push the boundaries of genre in order to entertain, thrill, and engage", said Frédéric Boyer, newly appointed Artistic Director of the Tribeca Film Festival.

A hell of a shoot-out

Nesbø had not written the story, when he pitched it to the director – but Martens liked the outline, so I went home and started putting it down -  finally a project where I could include things I had not seen on films but really wanted to, such as a hell of a shoot-out in a porn shop, he recalled. Martens composed the screenplay.

Produced by Martin Sundland and Are Heidenstrøm for Fantefilm Fiksjon, otherwise credited for the Cold Prey/Fritt vilt franchise and upcoming Escape, Jackpot was launched at the Nordic Market in Gothenburg and the European Film Market during the recent Berlin International Film Festival, where Denmark’s TrustNordisk sold it to the UK (Metrodome) and Germany (NFP), later adding Poland (Vivarto) and Estonia (Estin Film).

Eight dead bodies

Starring Mads Ousdal, Kyrre Hellum, Arthur Berning and Andreas Cappelen, the film tells the story of four scruffy ex-criminals living in nowhere land between Norway and Sweden. They are also gamblers who never win – until they take a NOK 1,739,361 jackpot, which you cannot divide between four. Eventually one of them is found by the police with eight dead bodies.

Last year Tribeca awarded Norwegian director Jannicke Systad Jacobsen’s Turn Me On, Goddammit (Få meg på, for faen), the $5,000 first prize for Best Script in the World Narrative Competition. Founded and headed by US actor Robert De Niro, the festival will screen 250 films from all over the world.