It will be the world premiere of the Norwegian film about the real life Pacific expedition of 1947, directed by Joachim Rønning and Espen Sandberg.

Joachim Rønning and Espen Sandberg’s Kon-Tiki will open the 40th Norwegian International Film Festival in Haugesund on Saturday 18 August. 

It will be the world premiere of the film, which stars Pål Sverre Hagen, Agnes Kittelsen, Odd-Magnus Williamson, Tobias Santelmann, Anders Baasmo Christiansen, Jakob Oftebro and Gustaf Skarsgård.

The film follows the true story of the events of 1947 when Thor Heyerdahl embarked upon an 800 km expedition across the Pacific to prove his theory that Polynesia had been populated from South America on a raft called Kon Tiki, with five young men.

We are delighted to be able to open the Norwegian International Film Festival with Kon-Tiki,  festival director Gunnar Johan Løvvik said.  It is very seldom that there have been such great expectations for a Norwegian film, and we are sure that Joachim Rønning and Espen Sandberg will fulfil them entirely,” he added.

The film shot in six countries for sixty days over a period of three and a half months.

It is the third feature from directing duo Joachim Rønning and Espen Sandberg, following Bandidas and Max Manus.The screenplay for the film is written by Petter Skavlan.

Kon-Tiki is produced by Aage Aaberge of Nordisk Film Production and Jeremy Thomas of Recorded Picture Company.

Nordisk Film Distribusjon is distributing Kon-Tiki in Norway, with a release date of August 24.