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Game of Thrones makers eye Norway for upcoming season

As if it wasn’t enough that Norway can already boast the best bearded cast member of the Game of Thrones, the nation may now play host to part of the smash hit’s seventh season.

Published: 2 November 2016 14:33 CET

Game of Thrones makers eye Norway for upcoming season

Game of Thrones actor Kristofer Hivju and his wife Gry Molvær at an Oslo premiere party. Photo: Audun Braastad / NTB scanpix

Last week it emerged that the fantasy show’s producers HBO were eyeing Sweden’s Baltic island Gotland as a possible location for filming. At the time, it was said that there was a “50/50 chance” the show would come to Sweden, but now it appears that HBO may have instead settled on Norway.

Speaking to newspaper Hela Gotland (which broke the news that Game of Thrones was looking into filming in Sweden), a spokesperson for regional film production organization Filmregion Stockholm-Mälardalen said Norway is now thought to be HBO’s pick.

Mia Uddgren said that Norway has the upper hand over Sweden when it comes to luring international producers.

“Given that Norway has a film production tax break it has a competitive advantage,” Filmregion Stockholm-Mälardalen film commissioner Mia Uddgren noted.

Jon Snow and the wildlings would probably feel quite at home in Norway. After all, wildling leader Tormund Gianstbane is played by none other than the country’s very own Kristofer Hivju.

While landing Game of Thrones would be a major coup for Norway, the country is also reportedly in the running to host scenes for the most successful movie franchise of all time: Star Wars.

In August it was reported that Lucas Film was considering filming scenes at Pulpit Rock, or Preikestolen, the fjord-side precipice that is one of Norway's most-visited tourist attractions for an “upcoming blockbuster movie”.

According to Aftenposten, the film in question is a new addition to the Star Wars series. It didn’t explicitly state that it would be the much-anticipated 'Episode VIII', the follow-up to 2015’s ‘The Force Awakens’ that is due to hit theatres in December 2017.

Executives from Marvel Studios were also in Norway over the summer to scout locations, which Aftenposten speculated could mean that parts of 'Avengers: Infinity War' could be filmed at Norwegian locations.

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Cinema in France

Photo: Loic Venance/AFP

The cinema group Lost in Frenchlation runs regular screenings of French films in the capital, with English subtitles to help non-native speakers follow the action. The club kicks off every screening with drinks at the cinema’s bar one hour before the movie, so it’s also a fun way to meet people if you’re new to Paris.

These are the events they have coming up in November.

Friday, November 5th

Boîte Noire – What happened on board the Dubai-Paris flight before it crashed in the Alps? In this thriller Matthieu, a young and talented black box analyst played by Pierre Niney (star of Yves Saint-Laurent among other movies) is determined to solve the reason behind this deadly crash, no matter the costs.

The screening will take place at the Club de l’étoile cinema at 8pm. But you can arrive early for drinks at the bar from 7pm.

Tickets are €10 full price, €8 for students and all other concessions, and can be reserved here.

Sunday, November 14th

Tralala – In the mood for music? This new delightful French musical brings you into the life of Tralala (played by Mathieu Amalric), a 48 years old, homeless and worn-out street singer, who one day gets mistaken for someone else. Tralala sees an opportunity to get a better life by taking on a new personality. He now has a brother, nephews, ex-girlfriends, and maybe even a daughter. But where is the lie? Where is the truth? And who is he, deep down?

The night will start with drinks from 6pm followed by the screening at 7pm at the Luminor Hôtel de Ville cinema. There is also a two-hour cinema-themed walk where you’ll be taken on a “musicals movie tour” in the heart of Paris, which begins at 4pm.

Tickets cost €10, or €8 for students and concessions, and can be found here. Tickets for the walking tour cost €20 and must be reserved online here.

Thursday, November 18th

Illusions Perdues – Based on the great novel series by Honoré de Balzac between 1837 and 1843, this historical drama captures the writer Lucien’s life and dilemmas who dreams about a great career of writing and moves to the city to get a job at a newspaper. As a young poet entering the field of journalism, he is constantly challenged by his desire to write dramatic and eye-catching stories for the press. But are they all true?

The evening will kick off with drinks at L’Entrepôt cinema bar at 7pm, followed by the movie screening at 8pm. Tickets are available online here, and cost €8.50 full price; €7 for students and all other concessions.

Sunday, November 21st

Eiffel – Having just finished working on the Statue of Liberty, Gustave Eiffel (played by Romain Duris) is tasked with creating a spectacular monument for the 1889 Universal Exposition in Paris. It’s ultimately his love story with Adrienne Bourgès (Emma Mackey) that will inspire him to come up with the idea for the Eiffel Tower.

After a first screening last month, Lost in Frenchlation is organising a new one at the Luminor Hôtel de Ville cinema, with pre-screening drinks at the cinema bar.

Tickets cost €10, or €8 for students and concessions, and can be found here.

Thursday, November 25th

Les Héroïques – Michel is a former junkie and overgrown child who only dreams of motorbikes and of hanging out with his 17-year-old son Léo and his friends. But at 50 years old, he now has to handle the baby he just had with his ex, and try not to make the same mistakes he has done in the past.

The film will be followed by a Q&A with the director Maxime Roy who will discuss his very first feature.

Tickets cost €10, or €8 for students and concessions, and can be found here.

Full details of Lost in Frenchlation’s events can be found on their website or Facebook page. In France, a health pass is required in order to go to the cinema.

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