BETA CINEMA PICKS UP HANS PETTER MOLAND’S TORONTO WORLD PREMIERE "GROWTH OF THE SOIL"

Beta Cinema announced today that it will handle worldwide sales for Growth of the Soil, the latest feature by acclaimed Norwegian director Hans Petter Moland (In Order of Disappearance), set to premiere as a Special Presentation at the upcoming Toronto International Film Festival.

Based on Knut Hamsun’s Nobel Prize-winning novel, Growth of the Soil is an epic love story set against the breathtaking yet unforgiving landscapes of Norway’s mountains. The film co-stars Herbert Nordrum (The Worst Person in the World) and former EFP Shooting Star Asta Kamma August (The Hypnosis).

The story unfolds in the remote Norwegian wilderness, where Isak seeks a place to settle. High above the tree line, he finds a barren yet promising stretch of land. As the harsh terrain tests his limits, he encounters Inger, a solitary woman marked by resilience and quiet secrecy. Together, they build a life from the ground up — cultivating the land, raising a family, as the seasons turn. Yet as years pass and the world closes in, and time, hardship, and desire reshape them.

Hans Petter Moland is one of Norway’s most distinguished filmmakers, with a career marked by collaborations with internationally renowned talent including Stellan Skarsgård, Charlotte Rampling, Lena Headey, Liam Neeson, Nick Nolte, Laura Dern and Tim Roth. His breakout film Zero Kelvin (1995) won the Jury Prize in San Sebastián, and his long-standing collaboration with Skarsgård has continued across several films including Aberdeen (2000), A Somewhat Gentle Man (2010), In Order of Disappearance (2014), and Out Stealing Horses (2019). Moland´s films have been nominated for the Golden Bear four times, twice winning awards. Moland also is a 3-time Amanda Award recipient, receiving an Amanda life-time Achievement Award in 2025.

Moland co-wrote the screenplay with Gard B. Eidsvold, based on Knut Hamsun’s Nobel Prize–winning Markens Grøde (Growth of the Soil), which was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1920. Hamsun’s writing has been translated into more than 40 languages, with Markens Grøde being widely regarded as one of his defining achievements. Cinematography is by Oskar Dahlsbakken (Possession, Munch, The Arctic Convoy), with an original score by Danish composer Kaspar Kaae (Fjord, In Order of Disappearance).

The cast is led by Herbert Nordrum, known for The Worst Person in the World (2021), The Hypnosis (2023) and upcoming titles including Sense and Sensibility. He co-stars with Asta Kamma August, 2024 EFP Shooting Star, whose most prominent work includes Ernst de Geer’s The Hypnosis (2023), Isabella Eklöf’s San Sebastian FF premiere Kalak (2023) and Lars von Trier’s The Kingdom Exodus (1994-2022). They are joined by beloved Norwegian actor and co-writer of the script, Gard B. Eidsvold (Troll, Quisling, Grand Hotel), Anders Baasmo (Kon-Tiki, Welcome to Norway), Oddgeir Thune (Loveable) and Sjur Vatne Brean (Out Stealing Horses, Nr 24).

Tassilo Hallbauer, EVP of Beta Cinema states, “Growth of the Soil is a powerful and visually stunning epic about love, resilience, and survival. Hans Petter Moland delivers a deeply emotional cinematic experience that feels both intimate and universal. Set against the majestic landscapes of Norway, this story will resonate far beyond its setting.”

Growth of the Soil is produced by Hakon Overas of 4 ½ Fiction AS in co-production with Chris Sanger and Birgitte Skov of Scanbox Productions. It was entirely shot on location in Norway, between June and December 2025. Scanbox Entertainment will release the film in cinemas across Scandinavia on October 30 and Beta Cinema is handling international sales.