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NTRNZ media Ltd to co-produce new series with NRK

Isfront is a story about arctic ice hockey, warm friendship and cold international politics

Award-winning creative house NTRNZ media Ltd from northern Finland joins Norwegian Broadcasting Company NRK’s ”Isfront” series as the Finnish Co-Producer. The documentary series will be shot in Norway, Russia and Finland and it follows the players in the Barents Hockey League (BHL) throughout season 2019-2020, from November to April.

The series is based on a concept by Kristian Sonvisen Bye from NRK region north, and is produced by Eilif Bremer Landsend. It follows adult hockey amateurs from Norway, Russia and Finland fighting against all odds to uphold the ice hockey league and a warm friendship despite a cold political climate.

– The ambition is to make an innovative and entertaining feelgood documentary, but also give insight into the daily life in this border-region. Especially how common people handle the tension caused by international politics, tells Kristian Sonvise Bye.

Isfront in Finland

Isfront will also be seen on Finnish television, broadcasted by YLE. NTRNZ media Ltd is responsible for all the production in Finland as well as filming in tournaments. The series will have a cinematic look while it also creates a strong bond with the main characters from three different countries.

– We are glad we were asked to join this production. Our long experience in ice hockey as well as producing documentary lifestyle series in demanding conditions comes into play with this project, says Teemu Hostikka, the founder and showrunner of NTRNZ media.

In Finland the main goal is to show how the unique hockey team Tuki-Kepit from Ivalo shovels its way through the tournaments, driving thousands of kilometres along the arctic roads to meet their opponents. The importance of the game and humour between team members helps them overcome most of the obstacles thrown in their way.

For more information, contact:

Teemu Hostikka
+358 45 639 8664
NTRNZ media Ltd

Eilif Bremer Landsend
+47 922 24 573
Producer/NRK

Photos

NTRNZ media is a creative agency specialised in content production and marketing. One of our core values is respect for pure Northern nature. NTRNZ media is best known for the TV series Eränkävijät (Love of the Wild), as well as being the marketing partner of many known brands and Northern Finnish companies, such as Visit Kalajoki, Oulun Kärpät Hockey Team and Qstock. 

NRK (Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation) is the Norwegian government-owned public broadcasting company and the largest media organisation in Norway. NRK broadcasts three national TV channels and three national radio channels on digital terrestrial television, digital terrestrial radio and subscription television. NRK is a founding member of the European Broadcasting Union.

Love of the Wild – From the Alps to the Arctic launched at MIPCOM

Awarded Finnish format showcases shared European worry for nature – Amazing teaser out

Love of the Wild – From the Alps to the Arctic is the latest production by Finnish award-winning creative house NTRNZ media. The first teaser of the series is out just ahead of MIPCOM 2019 Cannes, where the first episodes are available for screening. 

Love of the Wild – From the Alps to the Arctic is based on the original highly successful Finnish format Eränkävijät, two-time winner of the Finnish Television Academy’s Golden Venla award. The first 3 seasons of the original series have been sold to over 30 countries.

– Transforming the format into an international series was a giant scaling effort in every aspect. The series has been filmed in 4K in demanding conditions and follows the main characters throughout the seasons. To our surprise, we quickly noticed that despite the fact that they live thousands of kilometres apart in different cultures, our main characters share the same values and concerns for the wellbeing of Earth, our common home planet.

Showrunner, screenwriter and producer Teemu Hostikka

The international version has been filmed in six different European countries, from the Alps all the way to the Arctic regions. The main characters come from five different countries, and they live close to the most unique nature sites: the biggest mountains and lakes, northernmost wilderness areas, vastest highlands and rainiest places in Europe. They share a love for nature and a lifestyle that is dependent on the wellbeing of planet Earth.

International, award-winning production team

The production team comprises awarded international cinematography professionals, with expertise in shooting in demanding mountain conditions, alongside the original Finnish directors & cinematographers Mika Hirvonen, Jani Honkakoski and Acke Salo. 

Guido Perrini is known as the director and cinematographer of renowned freeskiing movies La Liste (Red Bull media house), Degrees North with Xavier De La Rue and Deeper by Jeremy Jones.  Tero Repo is one of the most successful Finnish mountain skiing/snowboarding photographers who currently lives in Switzerland. Repo has worked with Perrini in Degrees North and La Liste, and also for brands like The North Face, Swatch, Mammut, BBC, National Geographic and Red Bull.

The cameramen, editors, sound designers and composers behind the success of the original series make up the core of the production team in the international version as well.

First-time screening at MIPCOM 2019, Cannes

The first episodes of Love of the wild – From the Alps to the Arctic are available for screening at MIPCOM 2019 in Cannes. MIPCOM is the global market for entertainment content across all platforms.

The series is distributed by NordicWorld, the leading Scandinavian distributor of tv rights, through which tv content produced in Scandinavia is distributed worldwide.

– NordicWorld is proud to be chosen as the worldwide distribution partner for this very exciting and extremely high-quality production. We are all about local production – global reach! This is a brilliant example of just this. The best of the Nordic region!

Espen Huseby, President & CEO, NordicWorld

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More magical nature content: Magic in Lapland

Another international production from NTRNZ, Magic in Lapland, is also available for screening at MIPCOM 2019. The series displays the magical beauty of northern nature and combines it with amazing illusions and close-up magic from awarded, Las Vegas trained magician and illusionist Henri Kemppainen. Kemppainen was recently awarded Finnish Magician of the Year 2019.

Magic in Lapland is internationally distributed by Lightning International, a UK and Hong Kong based distributor. The series is expected to charm big audiences in the Asian market and through international 4K channels.

For more information about Love of the Wild – From the Alps to the Arctic and Magic in Lapland please contact:

Showrunner, Founder and Creative Director
Teemu Hostikka
NTRNZ media
+358 45 639 8664  

Mr Hostikka is available for discussions at MIPCOM 2019. 

NTRNZ media is a creative agency specialised in content production and marketing. One of our core values is respect for pure Northern nature.

Love of the Wild – From the Alps to the Arctic gets a worldwide distribution deal

NordicWorld, the leading Nordic distributor of tv rights has signed a global deal to distribute two seasons of Love of the Wild – From the Alps to the Arctic. The series is produced by NTRNZ media, the creator of Love of the Wild (Eränkävijät), two-time winner of the Golden Venla award granted by the Finnish Television Academy. The Finnish rights remain with the Finnish broadcasting company YLE.

– The international production of Love of the Wild is opening doors for Finnish content globally. This international distribution deal gives us confidence in the global reach of Finnish non-fiction content, following the drama content that already made it. We want to do our part to make this pioneering work possible, says Timo Järvi of YLE, the original buyer of the series.

– NordicWorld is proud to be chosen as the worldwide distribution partner for this very exciting and extremely high-quality production. We are all about local production – global reach! This is a brilliant example of just this. The best of the Nordic region, says Espen Huseby, President & CEO of NordicWorld.

Europe’s most amazing nature sites on display

The series has been filmed since autumn 2018 in six different European countries, from the Alps all the way to the Arctic regions. The main characters come from five different countries, and they live close to the most unique nature sites: the biggest mountains and lakes, northernmost wilderness areas, vastest highlands and rainiest places in Europe. The main characters share a love for nature and a lifestyle that is dependent on the wellbeing of Earth, our common home planet.

– I am very glad that we found NordicWorld, among many candidates, to distribute the series. They understand both the commercial potential and the values of the series content-wise, says the creator and executive producer of the series, founder of NTRNZ media Teemu Hostikka.

A major party involved in the funding of the series is private equity investor for media content, IPR.VC, which was impressed by the international potential of the series from the beginning.

– Nature is true premium content, that grows in value as people realise what’s happening to our environment and what lack of nature does to us. Nature does not need to be staged. Love of the Wild delivers powerful content which we believe speaks to people across the globe, says Tanu-Matti Tuominen, founder and partner of IPR.VC

Uncompromised quality from an award-winning team

Love of the Wild – From the Alps to the Arctic is filmed entirely in 4K. So in addition to boasting amazing nature imagery, the series’ production is technically top-notch.

Golden Venla award winners for Best Performer 2018, Aki Huhtanen and Äijä the dog from the original Finnish series are among the main characters in the international version. The production team consists mainly of the original, experienced Finnish team, from cameramen to editors and post-production. In addition, experienced cameramen, used to the demanding mountain conditions have joined the international production team.

The series premieres in Finland on December 29th on Yle TV1 and the Yle Areena streaming service.

NTRNZ media is a creative agency specialised in content production and marketing. One of our core values is the respect for pure Northern nature. NTRNZ media is best known for the tv series Eränkävijät (Love of the Wild), as well as being the marketing partner of many known brands and Northern Finnish companies, such as Visit Kalajoki, Oulun Kärpät Hockey Team and Qstock. 

Eränkävijät (Love of the Wild) seasons 1-3 have been sold to 30 countries already. The fourth season starts on September 29th on Yle TV1 and Yle Areena. The series is the first nature program and the first series produced in Northern Finland awarded with the Finnish TV academy’s Golden Venla award: Best TV show 2017 and Best Performer 2018.

NordicWorld is the leading Nordic distributor of tv rights, through which tv content produced in Scandinavia is distributed worldwide.

IPR.VC is a venture investor focused on media content. 

For more information, contact:

Teemu Hostikka
+358 45 639 8664
NTRNZ media Oy

Timo Järvi
+358 400 634853
Yle

Espen Huseby
+47 916 15 500
NordicWorld

Tanu-Matti Tuominen
+358 500 593001
IPR.VC

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