(Variety) Picture Tree International Picks Up Danish Comedy Drama ‘Persona Non Grata’ (EXCLUSIVE)

Picture Tree International has acquired international rights to Danish director Lisa Jespersen’s feature debut, the comedy drama “Persona Non Grata” (Hvor Kragerne Vender), and will introduce the film to buyers at the upcoming Nordic Film Market, after its launch in Nordic Competition during the online edition of Goteborg Film Festival this week. Variety has been given exclusive access to the trailer.

The film follows Laura who has distanced herself from her family in the countryside, and moved to Copenhagen to live the bohemian lifestyle as a writer. When she is forced to return home to attend her brother’s wedding, she discovers that he’s about to marry her worst childhood enemy Catrine. Laura realizes that Catrine has taken over her place in the family and is now ready to do anything to get it back.

Jespersen studied film directing at the National Film School of Denmark, and has made a handful of short films – all with an interest in the comic aspect of people’s existential crises. Her graduation film “September” received a lot of attention for its accurate and uncompromising portrait of a woman in her sixties and the difficulties that come with age.

“Persona Non Grata” is produced by Daniel Mühlendorph of the young, prolific production company Hyaene Film (“Sons of Denmark,” “Blokhavn”) and stars Rosalinde Mynster as Laura (“A Royal Affair,” “Truth About Men”) and Bodil Jørgensen (“The Idiots,” “Nothing’s All Bad”) as her mother. Lars von Trier’s regular director of photography Manuel Alberto Claro lensed the film. “Persona Non Grata” was financed through the Danish New Screen program run by the Danish Film Institute. Nordisk Film handles distribution in the Scandinavian territory and is aiming at a Danish theatrical release in the summer 2021.

Besides “Persona Non Grata,” PTI will also present Norwegian romantic comedy “Diana’s Wedding” by Charlotte Blom at the Nordic Film Market. Other recent Nordic titles in the lineup include Finnish period drama “Helene” by Antti Jokinen, and last year’s winner of the Nordic Competition in Goteborg, “Beware of Children” by Dag Johan Haugerud.

https://variety.com/2021/film/festivals/picture-tree-international-persona-non-grata-1234894995/