Viu dubs Scandanavian hits into Afrikaans

New Afrikaans and English dubbed Nordic crime dramas will release onto the streaming platform Viu over the next month. Viu features a diverse range of TV series, movies, and original productions from South Africa, Korea, Turkey, and other international sources.

Included among the Scandinavian shows is Trom, which was added last week (25 June 2024). Other upcoming shows include Snow Angels (2 July), Max Anger – With One Eye Open (9 July), and The Dark Heart (16 July).

• Trom: This mysterious crime dramaisset in the isolated island community of Faroes. It follows journalist Hannis Martinsson as he sets out on the trail of a compelling story after the body of a missing animal rights activist is discovered in the midst of a local whale hunt.
• Snow Angels: A mystery develops when a five-week-old baby disappears from home a couple of days before Christmas, while Sweden is paralyzed by a debilitating snowstorm. However, during police officer Alice’s investigations, they discover that the family may be hiding something.
• Max Anger – With One Eye Open: In this thriller about ex-Swedish military member Max Anger, he finds love with a Russian colleague. However, when she disappears in St Petersburg after discovering something dangerous, Max goes after her, but soon his quest turns deadly.
• The Dark Heart: An investigation is launched when a wealthy landowner goes missing after giving her daughter an ultimatum: end her relationship with the son of a rival farmer or lose her inheritance. The story follows Tanja, an investigator with Missing People Sweden, who soon stumbles upon a deadly web of deceit.

Elouise Kelly, country manager at Viu South Africa, says: “Thanks to the success of blockbusters such as The Killing and Girl with a Dragon Tattoo, Nordic Noir – a genre of crime fiction set in Scandinavia – has seen a sharp rise in popularity over the past few years.

“The combination of stunning yet stark icy landscapes and complex, dark storylines that so beautifully juxtapose a calm and stoic setting with a morally bankrupt and dangerous underbelly, has resonated with viewers across the globe. We wanted to bring these twisting tales back home for our South African audiences to enjoy.”

Liselott Forsman, CEO of Nordisk Film & TV Fond, says: “Thanks to streaming services, the artistic and the popular have been combined. In the Nordics, we have fought to engage an audience and also to have relevance.”

* Viu is accessible through its app, smart TVs, and website here.