Danish writer-director Ole Christian Madsen, who swept the national film awards in 2002 with Dogme film Kira's Reason, starts shooting his third highly anticipated feature Nordkraft on Mar 31.

Set in Denmark's biggest Northern city Aalborg, the film is based on Jakob Ejersbo's debut novel from 2002, and follows a group of young misfits in search for a reason to live.

Director Madsen adapted the novel in collaboration with Bo hr. Hansen (Wallah Be). "When I read Nordkraft I felt like I had been waiting for those three main characters," says Madsen. "It was three stories I could relate to. I have never adapted a book before, but it was necessary because it was all here; three young destinies in a big Danish city, struggling to manage life."

The cast will be made up of newcomers, but the technical crew is experienced and includes cinematographer Joergen Johansson (Wilbur Wants To Kill Himself) and editor Soeren B. Ebbe (Chop Chop). Both worked with Madsen on Kira's Reason.

The $3.1m (DKR19m) Nordkraft is produced by Meta Louise Foldager (King's Gamble) for Nimbus Film in collaboration with broadcaster DR and Zentropa Entertainments5 with backing from the Danish Film Institute, Nordic Film & TV Fund and Den Vestdanske Filmpulje.

Nordisk Film holds Scandinavian rights and Trust Film Sales handle international sales.

Jakob Ejersbo's award-winning book has sold more than 100,000 copies in Denmark.

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