Beta Cinema has come on board as the world sales agent for Norwegian director Hans Petter Moland’s “Growth of the Soil,” which will have its world premiere in the Special Presentation section of Toronto Film Festival.
“Growth of the Soil” is an epic love story set against the breathtaking yet unforgiving landscapes of Norway’s mountains, based on Knut Hamsun’s Nobel Prize-winning novel. The film stars Herbert Nordrum (“The Worst Person in the World”) and Asta Kamma August, who was selected for the 2024 Shooting Stars program at Berlin Film Festival.
The story unfolds in the remote Norwegian wilderness, where Isak seeks a place to settle. High above the tree line, he finds a barren yet promising stretch of land. As the harsh terrain tests his limits, he encounters Inger, a solitary woman marked by resilience and quiet secrecy. Together, they build a life from the ground up — cultivating the land and raising a family as the seasons turn. Yet as years pass and the world closes in, time, hardship and desire reshape them.
Moland’s breakout film “Zero Kelvin” (1995), starring Stellan Skarsgård, won the Jury Prize in San Sebastián, and his collaboration with Skarsgård continued across several films, including “Aberdeen” (2000), “A Somewhat Gentle Man” (2010), “In Order of Disappearance” (2014) and “Out Stealing Horses” (2019). Moland’s films have been nominated for the Golden Bear four times, twice winning awards. Moland also is a three-time Amanda Award recipient, receiving an Amanda Lifetime Achievement Award in 2025.
Moland co-wrote the screenplay to “Growth of the Soil” with Gard B. Eidsvold, based on Hamsun’s “Markens Grøde” (Growth of the Soil), which was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1920. Hamsun’s writing has been translated into more than 40 languages.
Cinematography is by Oskar Dahlsbakken (“Possession,” “Munch, The Arctic Convoy”), with an original score by Danish composer Kaspar Kaae (“Fjord,” “In Order of Disappearance”).
As well as “The Worst Person in the World” (2021), Nordrum’s credits include Ernst de Geer’s “The Hypnosis” (2023), and upcoming titles including “Sense and Sensibility.” August’s work includes “The Hypnosis,” Isabella Eklöf’s San Sebastian premiere “Kalak” (2023) and Lars von Trier’s “The Kingdom Exodus” (1994-2022).
They are joined by Eidsvold (“Troll,” “Quisling,” “Grand Hotel”), Anders Baasmo (“Kon-Tiki,” “Welcome to Norway”), Oddgeir Thune (“Loveable”) and Sjur Vatne Brean (“Out Stealing Horses,” “Nr 24”).
Tassilo Hallbauer, exec VP of Beta Cinema, described “Growth of the Soil” as “a powerful and visually stunning epic about love, resilience and survival.” He added that Moland “delivers a deeply emotional cinematic experience that feels both intimate and universal. Set against the majestic landscapes of Norway, this story will resonate far beyond its setting.”
“Growth of the Soil” is produced by Hakon Overas of 4 ½ Fiction in co-production with Chris Sanger and Birgitte Skov of Scanbox Productions. It was shot on location in Norway between June and December 2025. Scanbox Entertainment will release the film in theaters across Scandinavia on Oct. 30.
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