NEWEN STUDIOS STRENGTHENS ITS NORDIC FOOTPRINT WITH ANAGRAM ACQUISITION

Newen Studios, one of the main European players in production and distribution, acquires Anagram, one of the leading drama production companies in Scandinavia. Founded in 2002, Anagram is an independent production company known for the quality of its films and series.  Since its creation, it has become a reference for Nordic drama storytelling.

Mats Alders has been the Chairman and CEO of Anagram since 2013; and he will continue to lead the company in its coming developments.

Anagram will reinforce Newen Studios’ strong presence in the Northern part of Europe.

Anagram has had a very dynamic development in recent years and being part of Newen Studios group will allow to develop even more ambitious projects. Series and dramas, with the “Scandinavian touch”, have become more and more appreciated throughout the world over the last decade and Anagram has great projects, coming soon, with major players. Newen is already collaborating with Anagram, both in the field of production and distribution. Newen Studios’ Danish entity, Nimbus, has previously coproduced the series Between Us with Anagram Norway. Ammo, one of Anagram’s latest productions soon to be launched on TV2 Norway, is also part of Newen Connect’s line-up at the upcoming Mipcom.

Anagram is in itself a House of Talents, with for instance the well-known producers Miira Paasilinna, Managing Director of Anagram Sweden (Tuesday Club, Thin Blue Line, The Machinery, Tove, The Carer) and Martin Persson (Thin Blue Line, The Machinery, My Life as a Comedian, The Hunt) ; Anne Kolbjørnsen (Ida Takes Charge, Kieler Street, Maniac, Lillyhammer) and Ole Marius Araldsen (Kieler Street, Between Us, Milk, Maniac) at Anagram Norway, both key creative figures behind the rise & success of Nordic drama on the international scene ; and Erik Ahrnbom, (Keep it Together, Sunday League, The Bridge S3) who is an in-house screenwriter at Anagram Sweden.

Anagram includes:

• Anagram Sweden with a recognized expertise both for its TV-series, mainly thrillers and comedies, and dramas. It has encountered great success notably with Thin Blue Line which won the best TV program and best scripted drama award at the Swedish Kristallen gala and is the most viewed program the past 15 years on SVT, The Machinery S1 and S2 for Viaplay. As for its feature films, Anagram is known for its award-winning films such as Yarden and Eat Sleep Die as well as its more main stream films like Tuesday Club and Halvdan Almost a Viking. Thin Blue Line Season 2 has just been launched on SVT1, YLE and NRK. And the dramedy Keep it Together for SVT is already in post-production.
• Anagram Norway produces series (thrillers and comedies) such as Kieler Street, Between Us and Milk with TV2 Norway and TV2 Denmark as main broadcasting partners. Ida Takes Charge has just been launched by Viaplay and the crime series AMMO will be on air October 13th, 2022 on TV2 Norway.
• Anagram Live led by Managing Director and producer Kajsa Jönsson, for performing arts, specializing in comedy. Anagram Live produces Scandinavia´s biggest comedy festival, Lund Comedy Festival as well as comedy shows and comedy tours in the Scandinavian countries with acclaimed Swedish and international comedians, eg James Acaster, Johan Glans, Bill Bailey, Emma Molin, Tape Face, Flo & Joan, Danny Bhoy etc.

For Romain Bessi, CEO of Newen Studios: “We are thrilled to welcome Anagram, headed by Mats Alders and its team. This is a perfect match for us, since Anagram and Newen Studios have already forged strong links through successful cooperations. Anagram will greatly complement & reinforce our already strong presence in Scandinavia, an essential region for drama & storytelling in Europe.”

For Mats Alders, Chairman and CEO of Anagram Production: “We are excited to be part of the Newen Studios Group and continue our journey to deliver scripted content for the Nordic and International market”.