DR Sales Closes With WDR/Arte, VRT, NRK in Multi Buyers Pact on Norwegian Wildlife Doc ‘Frost Without Snow and Ice’ (EXCLUSIVE)

Copenhagen-based DR Sales, sales rep of the Oscar-winning “Mr Nobody Against Putin” and Sundance hit “A New Kind of Wilderness,” has closed a raft of deals on the Norwegian wildlife documentary “Frost Without Snow and Ice” (“Frost uten Snø og Is”) on the heels of its world premiere at the Thessaloniki Documentary Festival.

Broadcasters and distributors who have snapped up the latest work by Asgeir Helgestad (“A Call from the Wild,” “Queen Without Land) include WDR/Arte (Germany), Against Gravity (Poland), Film Europe (Czech Republic and Slovakia), Now TV Limited (Hong Kong), VRT (Belgium), RTS, SRF and RTSI (Switzerland), NRK (Norway), RÚV (Iceland), SVT (Sweden) and DR (Denmark), with additional sales underway according to DR Sales.

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With his fifth film, Helgestad – one of Norway’s most awarded wildlife and nature cinematographers – has spent 10 years in Norway’s arctic archipelago of Svalbard, patiently tracking a polar bear called Frost and her cubs – two of them named ‘Snow’ and ‘Ice.” The film explores the increasingly challenging coexistence of humans with polar bears – the world’s largest land predators – as climate change forces the mammals closer to human settlements to hunt for food, making dangerous encounters unavoidable.

Speaking to Variety, Helgestad said the biggest challenge on a narration standpoint was to find a balance between the strong emotional connection he felt for Frost – “the way she cared about her young captures my heart!” – and telling a story that would resonate with the general audience. “I struggled for a long time with how to tell her story, or perhaps our story. The answer came unexpectedly in 2023,” he said.

“I was staying in the small cabin I often used while filming her. In Norway, these cabins usually have a guest book where visitors leave a note of thanks. Then one day, I found myself writing a ‘thank you’ letter to Frost in that book.”

Telling an authentic, honest and engaging story was also quintessential for Helgestad who wanted people “to see with their eyes and feel with their body” what he had experienced. “There are many important films about climate change, but for me, the relationship with Frost and the years I spent on Svalbard were always at the heart of this film.”

On a technical front, keeping batteries warm while filming under up to 40 degrees below zero, was the biggest challenge. “I often had to keep 5-6kg of [batteries] inside my snowmobile suit,” Helgestad said. Camera-wise, he used his RED cameras “that have been quite reliable in such conditions” and “a Canon 60mm F4 with a doubler to maintain a safe distance from Frost and not to disturb her. For me, ethical filming comes before anything else,” he insisted.

The film was produced by Helgestad and Ageliki Lefkaitou’s Artic Light, in co-production with Lofoten Film Collective, WDR/Arte, NRK, SVT and RÚV.

Executive producer Kim Christiansen, in charge of documentaries and co-productions at DR Sales said: “Being part of this production has been an absolutely thrill – but considering the wild journey of the 10 years shooting you need to have a good patience working with Asgeir Helgestad,” he quipped. “Now finally, the film has been released, and the reception has been even greater than expected. We’re so happy to have the film out already in so many territories, and who knows, we might have to wait another 10 years to work with Asgeir again, but it will for sure be worth the wait.”

Next festival stops include Seoul International Eco Film Festival, Shanghai International Film Festival and Doc Edge New Zealand.