Katarina Launing
Director, Writer
is a director and screenwriter with over 20 years of experience in fiction direction. Her latest feature-comedy Jentetur premiered in Norwegian cinemas autumn 2022, a film that was highly appreciated with the audience. Katarina’s dance drama and Netflix hit Battle became the first Nordic film under the banner “Netflix Originals” and was so successful globally, that the channel produced a sequel ten years after its premiere. The drama Kule Kidz Gråter Ikke/Kick it, still counts as one of the strongest films among the young audience, with numerous hashtags on TikTok and new generations discovering the film. Katarina conceptualized the first season of the popular crime series Wisting together with director/writer Trygve Allister Disen for Viaplay. The series is now entering its fifth season, being one of the channels long runners. The thriller series Skitten snø/Tainted for NRK was bought by Netflix for global distribution.
Katarina’s career started early. Already as a 20-year-old, in parallel with RMI Bergh’s advertising school and Stockholm’s Film School, she worked as a freelancer on film productions and made her own movies at night and on weekends and followed it with Bachelor in directing on the recognized Norwegian Film School.
The common denominator in Katarina’s work is audience appeal with heart and brain. She uses genre as a tool for clarity and foundation: Action, comedy, adventure, horror, drama – Katarina loves them all and likes to play with them to give the stories the best the mix of unique character, sting and audience contact.
Awards
2021: Amanda, Best VFX; Dragevokterens jul
2021: Griphon Award, Giffoni, Best Picture; Dragevokterens jul
2021: ECFA Award, BUFF, Best Picture; Dragevokterens jul
2021: Filem’on-Brussels International Children Film Festival, Audience Award; Dragevokterens jul
2015: European Youth Film Festival of Flanders, Audience Award; Kick it/Kule kidz gråter ikke
2014: EFCA Award, BUFF, Best Picture; Kick it/Kule kidz
2014: Golden Rooster, BUFF, Audience Award; Kick it/Kule kidz
2014: Chicago Int Children’s Film Festival, 2nd Prize, Live-action Feature Film; Kick it/Kule kidz
2014: Oulu Int Children’s & Youth Film Festival, Best Picture; Kick it/Kule kidz
| Year | Project title | Project role | Production company / channel |
|---|---|---|---|
| - | - | - | - |
| - | Närkamp (Developement) | Writer / Director | Miso Film |
| - | Untitled (Film - In Development) | Director | Nordisk Film Sverige / Netflix |
| - | Royal Blood (Series - In Development) | Creator, Writer, Director | - |
| - | Kritikern / The Critic (Film - In Development) | Writer, Director | - |
| 2022 | Jentetur (Film) | Director | 74 Entertainment |
| 2020 | Dragevokterens jul / Dragon Girl (Film) | Director | Storm Films |
| 2019 | Skitten snø / Tainted (Series) | Director | Miso Film Norge |
| 2019 | Wisting (series) | Director | Cinenord / Viaplay |
| 2018 | Battle (Film) | Director | Friland |
| 2017 | Okkupert (series) | Script Supervisor | Hummelfilm / YellowBird / TV2 Norge |
| 2014 | Kule kids gråter ikke / Kick it (Film) | Director | Cinenord |
| 2012-11 | Hotel Cæsar (Series) | Director | Metronome Productions |
| 2009 | Julenatt i Blåfjell | Director | Storm Rosenberg |
| 2002-01 | Hotel Cæsar (Series) | Director | Metronome Productions |
