Then It Was Christmas Again could have more than ten million views on Netflix – and is the eighth most-watched film on the channel at the moment.
Since its premiere on December 6, the film has been in the top 10 most-watched international films on Netflix.
– It feels so great to see that our little romantic Christmas comedy has been on top of the world all December, director and screenwriter Peter Holmsen (32) tells VG.
In the first four days alone, the Christmas comedy was viewed 6.7 million times worldwide.
The film topped Norway when it was released, and was also ranked number one among the most watched films overall in Sweden, Denmark, Iceland, and Finland.
At the time of writing, And Then It Was Christmas Again is once again number one in Norway, overtaking Julia Roberts and the disastrous Leave the World Behind (produced by Barack Obama and Michelle Obama).
“And Then It Was Christmas Again” was not included in the non-English language film set, as is usually the case with Norwegian productions. Holmsen thinks he's very handsome.
– After all, a lot of English is spoken in the film, and even if we had topped the list of non-English films, it would be more fun when we made the top ten.
True story
Holmsen is delighted. It's very impressive because he wrote the story based on his family's experiences.
In the film, we meet Thea, who lives abroad and brings her Indian boyfriend home for a Norwegian Christmas. It's far from smooth sailing. Because the destruction of culture here is the biggest element in everything that is presented.
-The film is inspired by the story of my little sister and Christmas a few years ago, when she returned home with her fiancé from India. He had never been to Norway; She had never met anyone in the family – and for some reason the little sister thought it would be a good idea to meet the whole family during the holiday when Norwegians are at their most Norwegian, says the manager.
“And Then It Was Christmas Again” received the English title “Christmas as Usual”.
In the most central roles we find Ida Orsén Holm (32 years old), Marit Andreessen (57 years old), and Indian Kanan Gill (33 years old), international comedian and YouTuber.
«Kanan Gill stars in a romantic Norwegian Christmas comedy, and that's a sentence we never thought we'd write. But we're so glad it's true“, Netflix India signs in Instagram.
Gill himself also informed his 562,000 followers of the news, saying it was a “pleasure” to be involved. Begins the post with “wait wait» In Norwegian – Before everyone is strongly encouraged to watch the film in Norwegian with subtitles in the language they prefer.
The director tells how the collaboration began. Gil was in Norway for the first time a year ago to perform a comedy show at Chat Noir in Oslo.
“And then my brother-in-law and I met,” says Holmsen.
Kannan had never acted in any particular film before, but this particular project piqued his interest.
He thought it was a sweet and funny story with an important message at the bottom. Therefore, he wants to travel to the minus 15 degree temperature and high snowdrifts of Rawland to shoot for more than a month. Holmsen says he took an ice bath on the first day.
– What makes this film have such an impact, in your opinion?
– I think it's a combination of the fact that it's uniquely and exotically Norwegian, a kind of postcard of what the ideal Christmas looks like; At the same time, there's something very universal about the feeling of cultural collision that happens when you come home for Christmas with a new girlfriend, answers Holmsen.
Holmsen says he has received many letters from intercultural couples saying the film puts their experiences into words.
-Our weird Christmas was a surprise for the family. I hope this film inspires a more inclusive celebration of Christmas.
Holmsen's sister and brother-in-law married a year ago, and she is learning Hindi, while he is taking a Norwegian course.
-Is a sequel to the film planned?
– It's too early to tell, but at least there's more fun powder and glitter in the cannon! says Holmsen
Others involved are Mads Sjogaard Petersen (39 years old), Erik Folestad (34 years old), and Jonas Strand Graveli (32 years old).
But not everything is included in the final result (The article continues below the video):
Producer Espen Horn (57) at Motion Blur is also pleased.
“It's very wonderful news,” he says of the success of Christmas.
But Motion Blur has a lot to brag about. They are also producers of the movie “Troll,” which will be released in full this week At the top of the list Via non-English streaming channel movies globally. But this in itself is not news.
-It's just the most wonderful Christmas gift in the world. “It lies and floats first,” Horn says.
“We have to pinch ourselves, be humble, but at the same time allow ourselves to be proud,” he says.
More is coming
The adventure film premiered in December last year and can garner a total of 103 million views so far. “Troll” is the most watched non-English film on the channel in history.
It also recently became known that Netflix has ordered another film in the “Troll” genre.
– The producer admits that jumping behind us is a bit of joy mixed with horror.
- Erik Volestad is connected Social Max, a profile agency wholly owned by VGTV AS. VG's editorial evaluations are made independently of this. Editors are free. There is an overview of links to profiles that perform tasks for VG here.
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