Skip to main content

Crazy Pictures introduces spectacular UFO Sweden together with SF Studios

8 June 2021

Copyright: Photo credit: wepix

SF Studios will co-produce Crazy Pictures' new feature film UFO Sweden. The acclaimed Swedish film collective Crazy Pictures' first feature film The Unthinkable was great success both in Sweden and the rest of the world when it premiered in 2018. Crazy Pictures’ new major project, the sci-fi adventure film UFO Sweden, will start shooting in the fall and is expected to premiere in the cinemas in December 2022. SF Studios will distribute the film in the Nordics and REinvent will handle international sales.

UFO Sweden tells the story about a teenage rebel placed in foster care, who suspects that her father is not dead, but has been kidnapped by UFOs. With the help from a UFO association, she is determined to find out the truth.

Crazy Pictures got the idea for the film as they learnt about the existing association UFO-Sweden that investigates mysterious phenomena and manages the world’s largest UFO archive, Archives for the unexplained in Norrköping, Sweden.

“We understood that they were working on investigating and researching unexplained phenomena and were completely taken by this. We felt a huge fascination for UFO-Sweden as an association, but also for the world filled with UFO expeditions, mysterious phenomena and giant archives that surround the association. Of course, we could not help but think "what if they find something", says Olle Tholén at Crazy Pictures.

The film collective describes their upcoming project UFO Sweden as the love child between The X-Files and Stranger Things, placed in a small town in Sweden.

"UFO Sweden will be an exciting mystery, as spectacular as human, which we hope will make the audience both smile and shiver of excitement”, says Victor Danell at Crazy Pictures.

The shooting of the film will start in Norrköping, Sweden, in September, but the preparations have already started. SF Studios is co-producing the film and will handle Nordic distribution. SF Studios also distributed Crazy Pictures' previous international success The Unthinkable. In total, this film has been sold to over 100 countries and was a box-office hit in Swedish cinemas when it was released in 2018. SVT and Film i Väst are also co-producing UFO Sweden.

”The collaboration between Crazy Pictures and SF Studios started with The Unthinkable and now continues with the fantastic project UFO Sweden. In Crazy Pictures we see outstanding creative talent paired with a deep love and respect for the audience. A rare combination that rhymes very well with the values of SF Studios.”

REinvent International Sales handles international sales of UFO Sweden.

“Reading the script, we understood immediately that this is a completely unique project that will sell internationally. We have great faith in Crazy Pictures and that they will deliver a commercial, moving and action-packed film with global potential ", says Rikke Ennis, CEO of Reinvent Studios.

UFO Sweden is expected to premiere in cinemas in Sweden in December 2022.

 

For more information, please contact:
Jenny Stjernströmer Björk, Chief Content Officer, SF Studios, jenny.stjernstromerbjörk@sfstudios.se,  +46 70 970 80 85
Malin Strihagen, Vice President Brand & Communications, SF Studios, malin.strihagen@sfstudios.se, +46 70 780 39 35
Helene Aurø, Sales & Marketing Director, Reinvent International Sales, helene.auro@reinvent.dk, +45 23 42 00 07

About SF Studios
SF Studios, established in 1919, is one of the world’s oldest film companies. Today SF Studios is the leading film studio in the Nordic region with its headquarters in Stockholm, Sweden and offices in Oslo, Copenhagen, Helsinki and London. The company is producing and distributing feature films and TV series as well as providing the streaming service SF Anytime. SF Studios is part of the leading Nordic media company Bonnier.

About REinvent
REinvent is a packaging, sales and financing studio all in one. REinvent has extensive knowledge of original trends and sales opportunities in both the Scandinavian and international markets and works with high profile European production companies.

About Crazy Pictures
Crazy Pictures is a film collective from Norrköping that has become known for its action-packed short films Poetry for fish on Youtube, but also for its debut feature film The Unthinkable. During its 13 years as a production company, it has built a well-known brand in the Swedish film industry, but also a huge fan base online.

For more information about UFO-Sverige, please visit www.ufo.se

Contacts

Malin Strihagen

VP Brand & Communications

+46 70 780 39 35

Latest news

11/12/2025

Eagles of the Republic by Tarik Saleh nominated for 11 Swedish Guldbagge Awards

Today the Guldbagge Jury of the Swedish Film Institute announced that Sweden’s Oscar Submission Eagles of the Republic by Tarik Saleh is nominated for Guldbagge Awards in 11 categories, including Best film.

14/10/2025

SF Studios launches new YouTube channel showcasing iconic film classics

SF Studios is proud to announce the launch of SF Studios Classics, a new YouTube channel dedicated to making the company’s extensive film archive accessible to a wide audience. The channel features film classics, offering film lovers a unique opportunity to rediscover some of the most iconic works in cinema history, as well as to discover hidden gems and new favorites from SF Studios’ rich legacy.

01/10/2025

Harmonica Films & SF Studios produce new drama thriller Till Death Do Us Part for TV4

Today, the new TV4 drama thriller Till Death Do Us Part is announced. Shot in Stockholm during the spring, the six-episode series stars Aliette Opheim (The Congregation, Caliphate, Black Crab) and Filip Berg (Whiskey on the Rocks, Trouble, A Man Called Ove). Julia Lindström directs the series with an original screenplay by Veronica Zacco. Per Janérus produces for Harmonica Films. The series is expected to premiere in the fall of 2026.

30/9/2025

SF Studios Announces New Feature Film The Trip to Piedmont, now in production in Italy

Today, SF Studios announces its new feature film, The Trip to Piedmont (Resan till Piemonte), directed by EFA-nominated Alexandra-Therese Keining, who also has written the screenplay based on an original idea. The film brings together four of Sweden’s most beloved actors - Helena Bergström, Kjell Bergqvist, Björn Kjellman, and Kajsa Ernst - in a rare ensemble collaboration. A heartwarming feelgood story set against the stunning backdrop of Italy, The Trip to Piedmont explores friendship and the beauty of second chances. Filming is currently underway in Italy, with the Swedish theatrical premiere slated for 2026.

19/9/2025

Audience success PRETTY YOUNG LOVE selected for prestigious competition at Tallinn Black Nights Festival

The Danish love drama Pretty Young Love (SMUKKERE) has been selected for competition at the internationally acclaimed Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival—one of Northern Europe’s largest and most prestigious film festivals, and one of only 15 A-list film festivals in the world.

17/9/2025

SF Studios and Nordisk Film urge the Finnish government to reconsider the proposed significant cuts in film funding

The Finnish government’s proposed reduction of nearly €8 million in national film funding has sparked an important discussion about the future of Finland’s cultural and creative industries. The film sector is not only a source of artistic expression, but also a driver of employment, entrepreneurship, innovation, and local vitality across the country.

15/9/2025

SF Studios and REinvent International Sales announce the psychological thriller Doctor Glas

SF Studios and REinvent International Sales announce the psychological thriller Doctor Glas, a modern adaptation of Hjalmar Söderberg’s novel of the same name. The film stars Thea Sofie Loch Næss, Isac Calmroth and Christian Fandango. Triangledrama produces the film together with Unlimited Stories, producer behind this year's Swedish Oscar Submission Eagles of the Republic. SF Studios distributes the film in the Nordics with REinvent handling international sales.

09/9/2025

SF Studios produces SkyShowtime drama The Trio

Production has officially begun in Sweden on SF Studios production The Trio, a new six-part SkyShowtime Original series based on Johanna Hedman’s bestselling novel. The drama stars August Wittgenstein (The Crown), Felix Sandman (Sommartider), Seth Manteus (Cherries) and Rebecka Harper, and is directed by Anders Hazelius from a screenplay by Veronica Zacco.

29/8/2025

SF Studios wins four awards at the Danish Svend Awards

Yesterday, the Danish Svend awards announced the winners of 2024/25 during a gala ceremony and our production and distribution titles received a total of four awards: Best Danish Youth Picture (Pretty Young Love/Smukkere), Breakthrough of the Year (Karoline Hamm in Pretty Young Love/SMUKKERE), Best Foreign Language Film (It Ends With Us) and Jury’s Special Prize (Zinnini Elkington for Second Victims/Det Andet Offer).

27/8/2025

Tarik Saleh’s Eagles of the Republic selected as Sweden’s International Oscar Submission

Today the Swedish Film Institute’s Oscar Committee revealed that Eagles of the Republic by Tarik Saleh is Sweden’s Submission for an Oscar for Best International Feature Film. The 98th Academy Awards will be held in Los Angeles on March 15, 2026.

05/8/2025

Tarik Saleh’s Eagles of the Republic selected for Toronto International Film Festival

The political thriller starring Fares Fares, Lyna Khoudri and Zineb Triki is set in the powerful and glamorous Egyptian film industry, where the brightest shining star is drawn into the vicious undercurrent of deceit, corruption, and propaganda. Eagles of the Republic had its world premiere in the main section of the Cannes film festival earlier this year. In Toronto it will be screened in the Centrepiece section that honours and celebrates global cinematic achievements. The 50th edition of Toronto International Film Festival takes place between September 4-14, 2025. Eagles of the Republic is the third and final film in Tarik Saleh's Cairo trilogy after successful The Nile Hilton Incident (Grand Jury Prize award, Sundance 2017) and Cairo Conspiracy aka Boy from Heaven (Best Screenplay, Cannes 2022). The film, written and directed by Tarik Saleh, was shot in Istanbul last spring and summer and wrapped up in Gothenburg. ”I have barely processed the amazing reception our film received in Cannes. Being invited to the biggest film festival in North America is incredibly exciting. There is no better place to start the film's journey across the Atlantic", says Tarik Saleh. SF Studios distributes the film in the Nordic countries, with a theatrical release scheduled for fall 2025. The stellar international cast includes Swedish award-winning actor Fares Fares, French star Lyna Khoudri, the Egyptian Hollywood star Amr Waked, celebrated French-Moroccan actress Zineb Triki, renowned American-Palestinian actress Cherien Dabis and critically acclaimed Finnish-Syrian actor Sherwan Haji.  About the filmEgypt's most adored actor, George Fahmy (Fares Fares) is pressured to star in a film commissioned by the highest authorities. He reluctantly accepts the role and finds himself thrown into the inner circle of power. Like a moth drawn to the flame he begins an affair with the mysterious wife of the general overseeing the film. The music of the film is composed by Academy Award winner Alexandre Desplat (Asteroid City, 2023, Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio, 2022, Little Women, 2019, The Shape of Water, 2017, The Imitation Game, 2014). International sales are handled by Playtime, French distribution by Memento and SF Studios is distributing Pan-Nordic. The previous films in the Cairo trilogy were both huge international successes. Tarik Saleh won the Best Screenplay award at the Cannes Film Festival 2022 for Cairo Conspiracy aka Boy from Heaven. The film was Sweden's Oscar entry 2023 and received a César nomination for ’Best Foreign Film’ 2023. The Nile Hilton Incident received the Grand Jury Award at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival, the Swedish Academy Award for ’Best Film’ in 2018, and a César nomination for ’Best Foreign Language Film, to name a few awards. Eagles of the Republic aka Les Aigles de la République is a Swedish (Unlimited Stories & Apparaten), French (Memento Production), Danish (Ström Pictures), Finnish (Bufo Oy) and German (Films Boutique) co-production with a budget of 9 M€, making it one of the biggest productions for an Arabic language film to date. Starring in the leading role as George Fahmy is award-winning Fares Fares who also starred in the two previous films in the Cairo trilogy, Cairo Conspiracy aka Boy from Heaven (2022) and The Nile Hilton Incident (2017), the latter for which Fares received a Guldbagge Award for ’Best actor in a leading role’. Fares and Tarik have a long-standing working relationship, Fares has participated in Saleh’s Hollywood movie The Contractor, 2022, the animated dystopia Metropia, 2009 and in the futuristic HBO-series Westworld, 2018. The role of Donya, George’s girlfriend is portrayed by French star Lyna Khoudri (The French Dispatch, 2021), who won a César in 2020 for ’Most Promising Actress’ for Papicha and the Orizzonti (Horizon) Award for 'Best Actress’ for Les Bienheureux aka the Blessed at the Venice Film Festival in 2017. The stellar cast also includes names like celebrated French-Moroccan actress Zineb Triki (Vortex, 2022, The Bureau aka Le Bureau des Légendes, 2015-2020, Arthur Rambo, 2021), Egyptian Hollywood star Amr Waked (Firebrand, 2023, Lucy, 2014, Salmon Fishing in the Yemen, 2011, Contagion, 2011, Syriana, 2005), American-Palestinian actress Cherien Dabis (Amazon Prime’s Fallout, 2024, Netflix’ Mo, 2022-2024, May in the Summer, 2013), who also is an award-winning writer and director in her own right (Only Murders in the Building, 2021-2023, Ramy, 2019-2022, Ozark, 2020, Amreeka, 2009), critically acclaimed Finnish-Syrian actor Sherwan Haji (Fallen Leaves aka Höstlöv som faller, 2023, Cairo Conspiracy aka Boy from Heaven, 2022, The Other Side of Hope aka Ljus i natten, 2017), and Jordanian actor Suhaib Nashwan (Amira, 2021, Chronicles of Her, 2020, Layla M., 2016, The Team, 2018), among others. Eagles of the Republic is produced by Unlimited Stories, Apparaten, and Memento Production, in co-production with Ström Pictures, Bufo, Films Boutique, SVT, Film i Väst, ARTE France Cinéma, SF Studios, Mikael Ahlström Films and Playtime. With the support of the Swedish Film Institute, Playtime, Canal +, Ciné +, Eurimages, Nordisk Film & TV Fund, Memento, Bayerisher Rundfunk, ARTE France, Danish Film Institute, Centre National du Cinéma et de l'image animée, Paris Region Fund, Finnish Film Foundation, YLE and DR. Produced by Linus Stöhr Torell (Unlimited Stories), Linda Mutawi, Johan Lindström (Apparaten) and Alexandre Mallet-Guy (Memento Production). Nordic distribution: SF StudiosFrench distribution: MementoInternational sales: Playtime Behind the cameraDirector – Tarik SalehWriter – Tarik SalehProducers – Linda Mutawi, Linus Stöhr Torell, Johan Lindström and Alexandre Mallet-GuyPhotographer – Pierre AïmProduction Designer – Roger RosenbergCostume Designer – Virginie Montel            Make up & Hair Designer – Saara RäisänenEditor – Theis SchmidtMusic composer - Alexandre Desplatamong others Tarik Saleh – Director and ScriptwriterTarik Saleh has a background as one of the most influential graffiti artists in Europe in the 80’s. His dramatic feature film debut came with Metropia, 2009, a dystopic animation with Stellan and Alexander Skarsgård, Juliette Lewis, Vincent Gallo and Udo Kier. The film premiered at Venice Film Festival as opening film for Critics’ Week. The Nile Hilton Incident won ‘The Grand Jury Prize’ at Sundance 2017, received a Guldbagge Award for ‘Best film’ in 2018, was nominated as ‘Best Foreign Film’ at the César Awards and was a box office hit with more than 400 000 tickets sold in France. Tarik Saleh won the Prix du scénario for ’Best Screenplay’ at the Cannes Film Festival 2022 for Cairo Conspiracy aka Boy from Heaven, Sweden's Oscar entry in 2023, received a César nomination for ’Best Foreign Film’ and achieved over 500 000 cinema admissions in France. He also directed The Contractor, 2022 starring Chris Pine, Ben Foster and Kiefer Sutherland, episodes of the futuristic HBO-series Westworld and Ray Donavon for Showtime 2018 and the Swedish thriller Tommy, 2014. Saleh also directed the documentaries Gitmo: The New Rules of War, 2005 and Sacrificio: Who Betrayed Che Guevara, 2001 together with Erik Gandini. Further, Saleh is known for his collaborations with singer Lykke Li. The music video "I Follow Rivers" has over 60 million views on YouTube. Press contactFor further information and interview requests please contact MONDAY RELATIONS:Camilla Nasiell, camilla.nasiell@mondayrelations.se, +46 70 720 65 63 About SF StudiosSF Studios, established in 1919, is one of the world’s oldest film companies. Today SF Studios is the leading film studio in the Nordic region with its headquarters in Stockholm, Sweden and offices in Oslo, Copenhagen and Helsinki. The company is producing and distributing feature films and TV series as well as providing the streaming services SF Anytime and Blockbuster. SF Studios is part of the leading Nordic media company Bonnier.

04/8/2025

SF Studios and REinvent International Sales release trailer for anticipated Brightly Shining

Today, SF Studios and REinvent International Sales release the trailer for the Norwegian Christmas feature film Brightly Shining, based on Ingvild Rishøi's critically acclaimed and bestselling novel of the same name. The film is directed by Ida Sagmo Tvedte who has also written the script together with the author Ingvild H. Rishøi. The film had its world premiere at the prestigious children’s film festival Giffoni International Film Festival on July and will have its theatrical premiere on October 17 in Norway.

27/6/2025

Jerry Carlsson receives the 2nd The Ingmar Bergman Script Award

At the closing ceremony of the 21st edition of Bergman Week, it was announced that Jerry Carlsson is the recipient of the second annual Ingmar Bergman Script Award for his feature film script "Invasion". The award is a collaboration between SF Studios and the Bergman Center, and aims to encourage emerging filmmakers and screenwriters to write scripts for feature films with high artistic ambitions, aiming to reach a broad audience.

15/5/2025

SF Studios boards screen adaptation of Andrev Walden’s best-selling novel Bloody Men

Today at the film festival in Cannes, it is announced that SF Studios boards Bloody Men (Swedish title: Jävla karlar) as Nordic distributor. The award-winning novel will be transferred to the screen by director Jens Sjögren and screenwriter Jakob Beckman. B-Reel Films produces the film which is expected to have its theatrical release through SF Studios during fall 2026.

15/5/2025

Paradox launches Production on Jon Fosse’s original screenplay Bad Moon Rising; REinvent boards International Sales

Today in Cannes it was announced that Norwegian production company Paradox, owned by SF Studios, is about to launch production of Bad Moon Rising, a new feature film from award-winning director Erik Poppe (The Emigrants, A Thousand Times Good Night), based on the first ever original screenplay for the screen by Nobel Prize-winning author Jon Fosse. REinvent International Sales will handle global distribution rights and SF Studios distributes the film in the Nordics.