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Exclusive: Paris-based sales company Charades has finalized a raft of deals with international buyers for its upcoming comedy Northern Comfort, which debuted at SXSW in March.

The pic, directed by Icelandic filmmaker Hafsteinn Gunnar Sigurdsson, has sold to Rezo (France), September Films (Benelux), Kismet (Australia & Nz), Vertigo (Spain), I Wonder (Italy), Pris Audiovisual (Portugal), M2 (Poland), Cirko Films (Hungary), Aerofilms, Transilvania (Romania), Megacom (ex-Yugoslavia), Volga (Cis & Baltics), New Cinema (Israel), Falcon (Lebanon & Gulf), Avjet (Taiwan), and Pictureworks (India).

Elsewhere, Scanbox has rights in Scandinavia, Sena has rights in Iceland, Weltkino in Germany and Switzerland, with Netflix taking SVOD rights in the UK.

Co-written by Sigurdsson with Halldor Laxness Halldorsson and Tobias Munthe, the pic is billed as a “dark comedy” and stars Lydia Leonard, Timothy Spall, Sverrir Gudnason, Ella Rumpf, Simon Manyonda and Rob Delaney.

Synopsis reads: A special forces veteran, an uptight property developer, an influencer with half a million followers,...

Icelandic writer-director Hafsteinn Gunnar Sigurðsson (“Under the Tree”) makes a smooth transition to English-language directing with the high-concept comedy “Northern Comfort,” co-written with longtime collaborators Halldór Laxness Halldórsson and Tobias Munthe. It centers on a disparate group of people who share a disabling fear of air travel, which they are trying to overcome through a high-end fearless flyers course. As a final challenge, the class is scheduled for a short, roundtrip “exposure” flight during which they should face and conquer their phobias. But this practical plan soon runs into some literal and figurative turbulence. Combining human drama and absurdist comedy, “Northern Comfort” should fly into other festivals before making a comfortable landing at a boutique art-house distributor or streamer.

Inwardly and outwardly quaking as they leave Gatwick for a fateful trip to Iceland are successful property developer Sarah; Edward (Timothy Spall), a special forces veteran turned best-selling crime writer; and a social media influencer couple,...

Erlingsdóttir previously oversaw legal and business affairs for the London-based sales, production and finance company Rocket Science.

Icelandic production company Zik Zak Filmworks has appointed Ragnheidur Erlingsdóttir as its new CEO.

Zik Zak’s former CEO Skúli Malmquist is now managing director of the Iceland Dance Company.

Erlingsdóttir previously oversaw legal and business affairs for the London-based sales, production and finance company Rocket Science. She is an Iceland native who worked as a producer there (on films including Xl and Rainbow Party) before moving to the UK for four years.

Zik Zak’s current slate – also overseen by producer Arnar...