Norway has selected local blockbuster Max Manus, directed by Espen Sandberg and Joachim Rønning, as its contender for the foreign-language Oscar.

The film, also longlisted for the European Film Awards, tells the World War Two story of a Norwegian resistance fighter recently scooped seven Amanda awards, Norway’s national film prizes,

having already bagged five Kanon awards from the Norwegian film industry. After a gala screening in Toronto, it is also screening at FilmFest Hamburg and heading for the Hamptons.

Produced by John M Jacobsen and Sveinung Golimo for Filmkameratene, it has clocked up 1.1 million admissions domestically for Norsk Filmdistribusjon, to become the best-grossing local release since 1975. Through TrustNordisk it has been licensed to over 30 countries.

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