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‘Tango Metal’ Kickstarts Partnership Between Finland’s Helsinki-filmi and Iceland’s Glassriver (EXCLUSIVE)
Finnish producer Helsinki-filmi and Icelandic company Glassriver have formed a three-title co-production partnership, beginning with the six-part crime series “Tango Metal”. The project, combining crime, romance, tango and heavy metal, reflects a wider push among European independent producers to share creative and financial risks as funding declines and international co-commissioning becomes more important.
The series follows Finnish crime reporter Paula, who travels to Reykjavík after her estranged brother is murdered in a ritualistic killing, and teams up with Icelandic detective and metal-band frontman Bjarki. Mia Ylönen created the series and is attached alongside writers Tua Harno and Jojo Erholtz; the show is in development, in advanced talks with Finnish and Icelandic commissioners, and is expected to begin production later this year. The partnership’s other projects are a Finnish near-science-fiction feature and an Icelandic television project, with details due once financing is secured.
In short
- Helsinki-filmi and Glassriver launch a Nordic co-production partnership.
- “Tango Metal” follows a cross-border murder investigation.
- Production is planned for later this year.
Explained simply
Helsinki-filmi is a Finnish production company, and Glassriver is based in Iceland. In a co-production, companies in different countries share the work and costs of making a film or television series, often with the aim of reaching audiences in both markets.
The partnership covers three projects, with “Tango Metal” first. Its story links Finland and Iceland through Paula, a Finnish crime reporter, and Bjarki, an Icelandic detective who also fronts a metal band. The series is one example of independent European producers joining forces as funding becomes harder to secure and international commissions matter more.
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