Paul Magnus Lundø’s The Badgers selected for Locarno Film Festival
Paul Magnus Lundø’s The Badgers (Grevlingene) is to receive its world premiere at this year’s Locarno Film Festival, where the Norwegian Scout adventure is to close the Locarno Kids Screenings programme. Picture Tree International is attached as international sales agent.
SYNOPSIS
Orphaned Berny (11) moves to his father’s home town, aiming to become a legacy Scout. His foster mother, Gerdy, a former Scout and social activist, forbids it. Berny joins the Badgers, a troop led by Gunnar, and learns about the Golden Scout Trophy Competition. Discovering his father's name among past winners, Berny is determined to compete.
Gerdy rejoins the Scouts as Gunnar's co-leader, intent on making the Badgers a "safe space where everyone is a winner”. She cancels the competition, but Gunnar negotiates for one last contest. Berny, a novice, pretends to be an experienced Scout, using his father's old uniform to cheat through trials, causing rivalries. Gerdy's progressive views clash with Gunnar's traditional approach, leading to a power struggle for control of the Scout house.
To save the Badgers, Berny confronts challenges, confesses his lies and sacrifices the trophy for integrity.
ABOUT THE DIRECTOR
Inspired by his childhood Scouting days, The Badgers is Paul Magnus Lundø’s third feature film. In addition to developing screenplays for several production companies, Paul honed his visual skills as a scenographer and props master on numerous high-production-value projects, including Erik Sjodberg’s Pyromanen, the Captain Sabertooth franchise, and NRK’s Christmas in Svingen Village.
Paul’s feature debut was Mengaloth (2005), a fantasy movie filmed on a shoestring budget while studying at the NISS Film & TV Academy. His second feature film was the medieval thriller The Veil of Twilight (2014)
The director and his producer (David L. Leader) are available for online and phone interviews.
CAST: Nils Elias Lea Olsen (The Burning Sea), Caroline Johansen (Nissene i bingen, Side om side), Øystein Martinsen (Norsemen, State of Happiness, The Tunnel), Kristoffer Joner (MI: Fallout, The Revenant), Kristoffer Lycke Abrahamsen, Isak O’Brien, Justine Osafo, Jakob Mydland, Nina Ellen Ødegård, Henrik Rafaelsen
EPK_THEBADGERS_DEF.pdf
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LOCARNO FESTIVAL SCREENINGS
15 August, 16:30, Teatro Kursaal (World Premiere; Closing Film Locarno Kids Screenings)
PRESS AND INDUSTRY SCREENING
Press and Industry screening: 8 August, 09.30, Cinema Rialto 3 (a valid accreditation is required)
AGE
This film is specifically aimed at 8-to-12-year olds.
ALL AVAILABLE ASSETS FILE
International sales: Picture Tree International
Christian De Schutter
