Picture Tree Intl. has boarded international sales rights of “Unsinkable” (Synkefri), written and directed by Christian Andersen, and has debuted the trailer (below).
The film is set in the small fishing town of Hirtshals, Denmark, where life is intricately intertwined with the sea, as it both takes and gives. It is based on a true event in northern Denmark in 1981, the sinking of the rescue boat RF2 during one of its initial missions resulting in the loss of nine lives.
Mainly shot on location and with local extras and witnesses of the 1981 accident, the film is also a personal project of the director, whose mother lost her husband, the father of his older brothers.
“Unsinkable” is Andersen’s second feature after “None Shall Sleep” (2019). Co-writer Martin Strange-Hansen won an Oscar as director and writer for “This Charming Man” (2003) for best live action short film and was again nominated for the Academy Award in 2022 for the short film “On My Mind.”
“Unsinkable” is produced by Hanna Rosland and Jesper Jørgensen of Denmark’s Wasabi Film.
The film is set in 1981, when the newly built and supposedly unsinkable rescue boat RF2 tragically sinks during one of its initial rescue missions, resulting in the loss of nine lives. Henrik, the son of RF2’s captain, initiates an investigation as his father is held responsible for the accident. However, Henrik encounters resistance from the town’s fishermen, who are concerned about potential job losses, as well as the authorities, who fear a public scandal. Meanwhile, grief looms over Henrik’s family, threatening to tear them apart. The film is inspired by true events.
The film features an experienced Danish cast amongst them Sylvester Byde (“Boys”), Johanne Louise Schmidt (“Department Q”), Anders Brinck Madsen (“Sunday”), Sofie Torp (“Held for Ransom”), Iben Dorner (“Borgen”), Esben Dalgaard (“The Chestnut Man”) and Henrik Birch (“Norskov”).
“Unsinkable” is the third Scandinavian addition to Picture Tree’s slate at the European Film Market, joining “Stormskerry Maja” and “The Missile.”
