Viaplay and Dag Johan Haugerud partner for ‘Sex Dreams Love’ film trilogy

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  • Three Norwegian films by celebrated director Dag Johan Haugerud (‘Beware of Children’) explore sexuality, longing and transgression in modern Nordic society
  • Trilogy produced by Motlys and distributed by Arthaus
  • Viaplay to premiere at least 70 Originals in 2022

Dag Johan Haugerud, one of Norway’s most acclaimed directors, will team up with Viaplay to create three interconnected films that explore themes of sexuality, longing and transgression in modern Nordic society. ‘Sex’, ‘Dreams’ and ‘Love’ will feature all-star Norwegian casts and will premiere on Viaplay in 2024 following a cinema window. All three features are produced by Motlys and distributed by Arthaus.

Filming of Love’ is underway in Oslo, with ‘Dreams’ to shoot later this autumn and ‘Sex’ in spring 2023. ‘Love’ stars Andrea Bræin Hovig (‘Hope’) as Marianne, a doctor in her mid-40s with no desire for a permanent relationship. When her colleague Tor (Tayo Cittadella Jacobsen: ‘Beware of Children’) tells her that casual sexual encounters with men can be both rewarding and non-committal, she realises this is exactly what she is looking for.

Further talents appearing in ‘Love’ include Thomas Gullestad (‘The 12th Man’), Lars Jacob Holm (‘Asphalt Burning’), Marte Engebrigtsen (‘The Birds’), Marian Saastad Ottesen (‘Lilyhammer’) and Morten Svartveit (‘Pørni’).

Dag Johan Haugerud’s work has received multiple awards and nominations, including a Dragon Award for Best Nordic Film at the Göteborg Film Festival for ‘Beware of Children’ and a New Voices/New Visions Grand Jury Prize nomination for ‘I Belong’ at the Palm Springs International Film Festival.

Dag Johan Haugerud: “We’re all navigating a landscape where, through various media, we’re encouraged to recognise and embrace our urges and needs. At the same time, choosing to live our sexuality in alternative ways appears as a radical and challenging break with convention and traditional values. The three films, which have a common queer denominator, aim to discuss this in their own manner. I’m very happy to partner with Viaplay and Arthaus on this trilogy.”

Filippa Wallestam, Viaplay Group Chief Content Officer: “Filmmaking of this quality is thrilling. Viaplay is home to the Nordic region’s very best creative talents, and partnering with Dag Johan Haugerud on such a bold and deeply personal project is an ideal fit. The ‘Sex Dreams Love’ trilogy is already set to be one of the region’s screen highlights of 2024, with huge potential to attract broad audiences, both locally and internationally.”

‘Sex’, ‘Dreams’ and ‘Love’ (Norwegian titles: ‘Sex’, ‘Drømmer’ and ‘Kjærlighet’) are produced by Yngve Sæther and Hege Hauff Hvattum at Motlys, with Kari Moen Kristiansen as executive producer for Viaplay. The films are made in partnership between the Norwegian Film Institute, Viaplay Group, Nordisk Film & TV Fond, Oslo Filmfond and Arthaus.

About Viaplay Originals

At least 70 Viaplay Originals are set to premiere in 2022. Upcoming Originals include ‘Veronika’; ‘In the Name of Love’; ‘The Street Where I Live’; ‘My Fault’; ‘Call Me Dad’; ‘The Beach Hotel’; ‘Roombeek’; ‘Listen Up!’; ‘End of Summer’; ‘R.I.P. Henry’; ‘Thunder in My Heart’ season two; ‘Live Life’; ‘Little Did I Know’; ‘It Could Have Been Us’; ‘Threesome’ season two; ‘R.S.V.P.’; ‘The Fortress’; ‘The Hunt for Jasper S.’; ‘Liv Ullmann: The Road Less Travelled’; ‘Those Who Kill’ season three; ‘Face to Face’ season three; ‘The Meaning of Life’; ‘Something Stupid’; ‘The Guilty’; ‘Stockholm Bloodbath’; ‘Delete Me’ season two; ‘Fenris’; ‘Gold Run’; ‘Last Light’; ‘Elvira’; ‘North Sea Connection’; ‘Limbo’; ‘Litvinenko’; ‘Karma and Jonar’; ‘Ronja’; ‘The Uninhabitable Earth’; ‘Murderesses’; ‘Freedom of the Swallow’; ‘Pørni’ season three; ‘Hilma’; a biopic of Börje Salming; ‘THE KINGDOM EXODUS’; ‘Stella Blómkvist’ season two; and ‘The Swarm’.

Two major English-language films will be produced by Viaplay every year. The company has also established a UK-based joint venture with FilmNation Entertainment and invested in US studio Picturestart.

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NOTES TO EDITORS

Viaplay Group AB (publ) is the international streaming challenger. Our Viaplay streaming service is available in every Nordic and Baltic country, Poland, the US and the Netherlands, and we are expanding rapidly by launching in the UK in 2022, followed by Canada, Germany, Austria and Switzerland in 2023. Viaplay will have a market presence in at least 21 countries by the end of 2023, including at least five partner markets for the Viaplay Select branded content concept. Every day, millions of customers enjoy our unique entertainment offering, including acclaimed Viaplay Originals and an unrivalled line-up of premium live sports. From streaming to TV channels, radio stations and production companies, our purpose is to tell stories, touch lives and expand worlds. Viaplay Group is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm (‘VPLAY B’).

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