EXCLUSIVE: Icelandic drama Manifesto has been boarded by local streamer Síminn and European distributor Wild Bunch TV.
The six-episode drama is currently in development and will be pitched at the TV Drama Vision sidebar at the Göteborg Film Festival. Based on true events, comes from Glassriver, the prolific Icelandic producer behind Cold Haven and Black Sands, and is written by journalist and screenwriter Urður Egilsdóttir.
Plot is set to the backdrop of the aftermath of Iceland‘s first-ever terrorist attack, which shatters peaceful nation. An aspiring police officer, Harpa, is forced to prove her childhood friends’ innocence after it emerges one of them, Matti, was responsible. Matti releases a manifesto warning of a second, deadlier attack.
Producers say it is “crime thriller with a unique focus on the lives caught in between – not just the perpetrators or the victims – but the friends and family left to grapple with betrayal, suspicion, and guilt.”
Egilsdóttir covered the real-life court case of those responsible for what Iceland now dubs ‘The Terrorism Case’, which intertwined issues of extremism, racism, misogyny and mental health.
“Manifesto represents a bold and thought-provoking addition to the crime thriller genre, tackling urgent and complex societal issues that every nation can relate to through a gripping narrative,” said Andri Ómarsson, executive producer and CEO of Glassriver. “We are proud to partner with Síminn and Wild Bunch TV to bring this uniquely Icelandic story to audiences both locally and globally. With its rich character-driven storytelling and themes that resonate far beyond Iceland, and with Urður’s skill and uniquely first-person experiences, we believe Manifesto will leave a lasting impact in the drama scene.”
Gregory Strouk, Director at Wild Bunch TV, added: “The team is thrilled to join and work with the experienced company that is Glassriver and with Síminn on this project. Manifesto is a gripping crime thriller, around very timely and universal themes, doubled with a brilliant portrait of a generation through this group of young adults confronted with a horrifying truth.”
For producer Glassriver, the show joins a slate that also includes Elma from Eva Björg Ægisdottir and Reykjavik Noir from author Lilja Sigurdardottir, both of which are being adapted for screen. Glassriver has also wrapped production on its coproduction with Portugal’s SPi titled Cold Haven, and launched Season 2 of Stöð 2’s Icelandic drama Black Sands at the end of 2024.
