‘War Sailor’, Norway’s official entry for Best International Feature at the 95th Academy Awards, is all set to be adapted into a limited series at Netflix. Written and directed by Gunnar Vikene (Vegas, Borderline, Pørni), ‘War Sailor’ was one of Norway’s biggest theatrical hits of 2022.
‘War Sailor’ is based on true stories of Norwegian merchant sailors and their families during and after World War II. Netflix will adapt the film into a 3-episode limited series that will premiere on Netflix on April 5th and stars Kristoffer Joner (The Wave, Mission Impossible), Pal Sverre Hagen (Kon-Tiki, Exit) and Ine Marie Wilmann (Troll, Exit) among others.
Vikend had originally written ‘War Sailor’ as both a feature film and a mini-series and now the latter will become a reality with Netflix on board. With more scope for details, the audience around the world will be able to witness the whole story, compared to limitations that come with feature film format.
‘War Sailor’ follows Alfred Garnes, a working-class sailor, who has recently become the father of a third child. He and his childhood friend Sigbjørn Kvalen are working on a merchant ship in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean when World War II breaks out. They are unarmed civilians on the front lines of a war they never asked to join. The two men struggle for survival in a spiral of violence and death, where at any moment German submarines may attack their valuable vessels. The war sailors have one goal: to survive–and to return home.
Meanwhile, Alfred’s wife Cecilia struggles through the war alone in Bergen, raising three children on her own, not knowing whether she will ever see Alfred again.When British aircrafts attempt to bomb the German submarine bunker in Bergen, they instead hit the primary school at Laksevåg and civilian homes at Nøstet, resulting in hundreds of civilian deaths. When the news reaches Alfred and Wally in Canada, they wonder if they have anything left at home to return to.
‘War Sailor’ is produced by Maria Ekerhovd, Karsten Stöter, Pierre Ellul and Anika Psaila Savona. The production company behind the film are Mer Film, Rohfilm Factory and Falkun Films. Series adaptation of ‘War Sailor’ will premiere on Netflix on 5th April, 2023.