LevelK and Publikum Kick Off Strategic Partnership With Heist Action Comedy ‘The Pension Heist’
Copenhagen-based international film sales and aggregation house LevelK has acquired world sales rights to Gunnbjörg Gunnarsdóttir’s “The Pension Heist,” the first feature to benefit from the company’s strategic partnership with audience-insight company Publikum.
“The Pension Heist” follows three ageing women as they pull off the seemingly impossible task of robbing the world’s largest sovereign wealth fund. The Norwegian release is set for Oct. 16 via SF Studios.
LevelK and Publikum sealed their partnership last year to invest in the strengthening and refining of sales and marketing tools for a selected number of titles. The collaboration is looking to maximize the audience potential of the LevelK slate, with Publikum having already worked with LevelK on major titles such as Berlinale main competition film “Dust,” by Anke Blondé.
“The Pension Heist” is written by Peder Udnæs (“Milk”) and produced by Jørgen Storm Rosenberg for 74 Entertainment. The film first finds 65-year-old Annema in the aftermath of discovering her husband’s affair. Desperate for money, she enlists two equally broke friends – Nina recently got fired for being too old and Mona needs money for a crucial operation – to concoct a plan to rob the Norwegian Oil Fund. “The Pension Heist” stars Hege Schøyen (“Thomas Vs. Thomas”), Anne Marie Ottersen (“Sex”) and Anette Hoff, who previously collaborated on Gunnarsdóttir in “Victoria Must Go.”
LevelK CEO Tine Klint said she “adores” Gunnbjørg’s “colorful directing style and talent for choosing projects that entertain while still carrying a spark of truth.” “‘The Pension Heist’ is a perfect example. It is an action comedy that invites us to laugh with respect and genuine affection at the way we see age and ageing. It’s also a real pleasure to collaborate with Jørgen and Publikum on optimizing all elements surrounding the film.” Read the full Variety exclusive here.