2023-02-01: Selected for Gothenburg Film Festival as part of the curated Nordic Film Market program
2023-06-21: In Australian cinemas JUL 13th to AUG 9th
2023-09-08: Limited Theatrical + Streaming in the US from SEP 8th
2023-05-01: Now available for streaming in Poland
2023-03-28: In German cinemas APR 22nd to APR 29th
2023-02-01: Selected for Gothenburg Film Festival as part of the curated Nordic Film Market program 2023-06-21: In Australian cinemas JUL 13th to AUG 9th 2023-09-08: Limited Theatrical + Streaming in the US from SEP 8th 2023-05-01: Now available for streaming in Poland 2023-03-28: In German cinemas APR 22nd to APR 29th
SYNOPSIS
David, an aspiring meteorologist, follows his late father’s footsteps in the Swedish military. After stumbling upon what’s left of his father’s work, David sets off to a desert island in the Barents Sea – the one place which may hold the truth about his father's passing.
Confronted by strange lights in the dark, eerie radio disturbances, and a hidden cave, David begins to question whether or not he's really alone on the island. Suddenly, a female voice calls out over the otherwise silent radio – a stranger trying to reach David.
Little does he know, his search for truth is about to descend into a much larger conspiracy.
GENRE: THRILLER
Runtime: 1h 33min
Language: Swedish, Norwegian
About The Director
Carl Johan Storm (born 1997) grew up in Lidingö Municipality, a suburb in the Stockholm archipelago, as well as on the island of Gotland, located between Sweden and Finland in the Baltic Sea. Storm's interest in filmmaking was sparked at the age of 10 when visiting a family friend who owned, by the standards of the time, a modern DV camcorder. To afford a similar camera of his own, Johan and his best friend began selling fruit drinks and biscuits at their local bus stop - which, believe it or not, was a success.
In adolescence, Johan got more serious about pursuing a career in filmmaking after going on a road trip with his grandfather and witnessing the inspiring and frightening cities of the former Deutsche Demokratische Republik. A place that, at the time, was yet to be popularized and portrayed in western culture and film. After doing a couple of projects by himself, Johan came in touch with the film industry and began doing commercial post-production work. Storm's interest in the many aspects of storytelling soon moved him towards shooting and directing commercials of his own, sometimes working as a DP and director simultaneously. Flash forward a decade and Storm has directed and produced commercials for some of the world's most renowned brands.
The idea behind Shadow Island came to mind when studying the geopolitical effects of the cold war as well as Sweden's role during and after that period. Most of the script was written during a holiday visit to the island of Gotland, a place that also made it into several scenes of the film. Since Shadow Island takes place across Sweden and Norway, starring actors from both countries, the dialogue was written in Swedish and later refined together with the actors on set.
About The LEAD ROLE
As versatile as they come, Johan L. Heinstedt has worked extensively both in front of the camera and on stage — in drama plays and comedic musical theatre. Nowadays his focus is on working with film and TV productions, as well as with computer games. Having a background in martial arts paved way into the field of performance & motion capture, which has given him opportunity to work with a number of AAA game titles.
Johan found his love for storytelling watching copious amounts of movies with his younger brothers, growing up in the small town of Sigtuna, just north of Stockholm. Film and music were the two biggest influences in his childhood, and he quickly found an aptitude for the musical and the dramatical, which he has been pursuing ever since. Of course, his musicality and sense of rhythm are big influences in his performances.
He draws a lot of inspiration from the deep forests of the Nordics. The rawness that’s found in nature is something he looks for in the stories he tells. Next up, Johan can be seen in the series "Happy jävla Pride" to be screened in 2024 on Swedish TV network TV4, and the upcoming Netflix series “TORE”, by national comedian and actor William Spetz.
About The SUPPORTING ROLE
Hanne Mathisen Haga is from Kirkenes in East Finnmark. She pursued her acting education at prestigious institutions including the Nordic Institute of Stage and Studio, the Academy of Music and Drama Gothenburg, and the Conservatoire National Supérieur d'Art Dramatique in Paris.
After her graduation in 2016, Hanne chose the freelance path, forging connections and working with various theatrical groups including Samovarteateret and Gothenburg City Theatre. In 2021, she took a significant step in her career by joining the ensemble at Hålogaland Teater located in Tromsø.
From 2023, audiences will see Hanne on both the big and small screens. She has secured roles in feature films such as "Ellos Eatnu" and "Shadow Island", and will appear in the TV series "LIV". Furthermore, she has captivated viewers with her lead role in the HBO series "Outlier".
