The Icelandic crime thriller, based on Eva Björg Ægisdóttir’s bestselling book series, is co-produced with Belgium’s Lunamine and distributed internationally by Mediawan. The series has also secured a presale to Finland’s MTV.
Icelandic production company Glassriver will premiere Elma, its new crime thriller series, on Síminn, Iceland’s television and streaming platform, on October 15. The series is adapted from the book series by author Eva Björg Ægisdóttir and is distributed internationally by Mediawan.
Set in the small port town of Akranes, the series follows Elma (Unnur Birna Backman), a police detective who returns to her hometown after a romantic relationship leaves her emotionally devastated. Her assignment to the local police station coincides with the discovery of a woman’s body at the foot of a lighthouse, bringing long-buried secrets back to the surface. Her colleague Saevar (Nikulás Hansen Daðason) could become her main source of support as the investigation unfolds.
Andri Ómarsson, CEO of Glassriver says “The Icelandic premiere marks an important moment for Elma, bringing a story that has resonated with Icelandic readers back to audiences in a new form. We’re delighted to have found a home for the series with Síminn, and to introduce local viewers to the world we have created – from the talent in front of the camera to the creative team who have brought this adaptation to life. We hope the series will feel both familiar and fresh to audiences who know the books, while also opening Elma up to viewers discovering it for the first time.”
The series is co-produced by Glassriver and Belgium’s Lunamine and has already secured a presale to Finland’s MTV. The creative team includes directors Katrín Björgvinsdóttir (Entrapped, As Long As We Live) and Þóra Hilmarsdóttir (The Rising, Katla), with Karen Björg Eyfjörð Þorsteinsdóttir serving as writer and showrunner, and Andri Freyr Hlynsson as series producer.
Ægisdóttir’s books have been translated into 23 languages. In 2024, the author received the Blóðdropinn, Iceland’s crime fiction award, for Home Before Dark. The English translation of her debut novel, The Creak on the Stairs, won the John Creasey New Blood Dagger in the UK, as well as a British Crime Fiction Award in 2021.
Elma is part of Glassriver’s scripted slate, which also includes Avalanche, co-produced with Whatevergroup; Konráð, based on the book series by Arnaldur Indriðason; and Reykjavik Noir, an adaptation of Lilja Sigurðardóttir’s novels. The company is also developing Hot Stuff, an Icelandic-Romanian co-production with IDEA Film, and Tango Metal, an Icelandic-Finnish co-production with Helsinki-filmi.
