The Norwegian film institute has awarded $3.9m (NOK 27.5m) to three Norwegian productions including Erik Skjoldbjærg's next feature, Nokas.

Nokas, Erik Skjoldbjærg's follow up to An Enemy of the People (En Folkefiende) has received $1.3m (NOK 9.5m) from the institute.

The film depicts the 2004 robbery when armed robbers blocked the exit of the Stavanger Police Station while looting the nearby Nokas (Norwegian Cash Service), stealing a record $8.1m (NOK 57.4m).

Alligator Film's Jan Aksel Angetvedt will produce from Christopher Grøndahl's screenplay and the $3.4m (NOK 23.9m) action drama will go before the cameras on March 17.

A further true-life tale is told in Tordenfilm's New Norwegian Hope (Nytt Norsk Håp) which has received $1.4m (NOK 10m) from the film institute.

Scripted and directed by first-timer Thomas Cappelen Malling, the $2.7m (NOK 19m) feature will tell the story of Norwegian commander Arne Treholt, former head of information at the Norwegian Foreign Ministry and Norwegian ambassador to the UN, who was arrested in 1984 and sentenced to 20 years in prison for spying for the Soviet Union.

The Cold War spy, who was pardoned in 1992, has approved the project. Tordenfilm's Eric Vogel will produce the film which starts principal photography on May 25.

New Norwegian production company, Filmbin, has benefitted from $1.1m (NOK 8m) production support for Christian Lo's feature debut, Best Friend (Bestevennen). The $2.4m (NOK 16.8m) family film from Morten Hovland's original script and to be produced by Trine Aadalen Lo, starts shooting February 16.

Best Friend tells the story of nine-year-olds Julie and Mette's search for their best friend, Naisha, and her mother, who have disappeared from a refugee centre after their applications for asylum have been refused.

It is the first full-length production from Filmbin which was set up primarily to focus on films for children and young audiences.