European Distributors Acquire Rights to Norwegian Debut Film 'Low Expectations' Before Cannes

Paris- and Berlin-based international sales company Salaud Morisset has closed key European deals on the Norwegian film 'Low Expectations,' directed by Eivind Landsvik and starring singer-songwriter Marie Ulven, known as Girl in Red. m. PT.

UFO Distribution has acquired rights for France, Pandora Film Verleih has secured rights for Germany and Austria, and Nordisk Film Distribution will handle distribution in Scandinavia. 'Low Expectations' follows Maja at the height of her music career as her life begins to fall apart, forcing her to step away from her ambitions.

She returns home to live with her mother and takes a part-time job at a local high school, where she works alongside Johannes, played by Anders Danielsen Lie.

Far from the spotlight, wrapped in everyday kindness, she slowly finds her way back to life. Salaud Morisset stated that buyers have responded to the film’s resonance with today’s society, its connection to a younger generation, and the growing appeal of Norwegian cinema.

Björn Hoffmann from Pandora Film Verleih said: '‘Low Expectations’ really captures that in-between phase in your shift from youth to adulthood with honesty and style.

Following in the footsteps of filmmakers like Joachim Trier and Dag Johan Haugerud, François Morisset of Salaud Morisset described 'Low Expectations' as signaling a new chapter for Norwegian cinema. He added that it captures the emotional landscape of Gen Z with rare precision – a film that is at once intimate, disarmingly funny and profoundly moving – and one with the power to bring multiple generations together in cinemas.

The film is scheduled for a Norwegian theatrical release on Sept.

11. 'Low Expectations' marks Eivind Landsvik's debut feature film. Landsvik previously directed the short film 'Sofia, Last Summer' in 2021, which won the Norwegian Film Critics Award. He also directed the short film 'Tits' in 2023, which premiered in Cannes’ main competition and screened at 100-plus festivals.

'Low Expectations' was produced by Lotte Sandbu and Synnøve Hørsdal for Maipo Film, in co-production with Snowglobe. The film received support from the Norwegian Film Institute, Oslo Filmfond, the Danish Film Institute, Nordisk Film and TV Fond, and Eurimages.