How come there is always a free parking space right outside the police station’s front door as Saga Norén draws up? If she has malodourous armpits, what must her manky leather trousers smell like? What does her partner in investigation Martin Rohde do to distract himself from her personal hygiene issues? Wouldn’t he do better to downsize his expensive car and use the money saved on renting an apartment rather than kipping in a hotel? All burning questions raised by the second series of the Danish-Swedish co-production The Bridge, currently being aired by BBC Four.
It was the same with the recent, third and final series of Borgen. How on earth did Kasper Juul’s shaved head so quickly sprout fresh hair? What did Birgitte Nyborg see in the drippy Brit charisma-vacuum Jeremy Welsh? Chances to get answers to all these and more come over the first weekend of February at the second Nordicana event, to be held on 1 and 2 February at Old Truman Brewery, along Brick Lane in east London.
Over the two days, Sofia Helin (who plays Saga Norén) and Kim Bodnia (Martin Rohde) of The Bridge, Sidse Babett Knudsen (Birgitte Nyborg) and Pilou Asbæk (Kasper Juul) will be joined by Borgen’s creator (and theartsdesk interviewee) Adam Price and its producer Camilla Hammerich, as well Marie Askehave (The Killing and Borgen). All will interviewed on stage and take part in Q&As. There’s even a chance to watch the broadcast of The Bridge’s last two episodes in the company of Bodnia and Helin. If that weren’t enough, Wallander’s Krister Henriksson (Kurt Wallander himself) and Charlotta Jonsson are also coming to Brick Lane.
The event also features British premieres of the Norwegian thriller Pioneer and the Danish urban crime film Northwest. The directors will be in attendance to take questions. Author Arne Dahl is along for the fun, and there also signings, a bake-off to make the best cinnamon bun, a Nordic marketplace and food and drink.
After this essential weekend, it’ll be fascinating to see whether the cosmopolitan Brick Lane retains a Scandinavian flavour. Tandoori herring anyone?
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