Sagafilm will produce television series based on the crime novels of Ragnar Jónasson, Snjóblinda (‘Snow Blindness’), Myrknætti (‘Dark Night’) and Rof (‘Rupture’), and film them where they are set, in Siglufjörður in North Iceland.

Icelandic actor Þorvaldur Davíð Stefánsson of Black’s Game recently bought the film rights to Ragnar’s books and intends to play the lead himself, detective Ari Þór, ruv.is reports.

Þorvaldur and Sagafilm have also obtained the rights to make independent episodes based on the stories’ main character.

Siglufjörður used to be Iceland’s herring capital but has suffered from depopulation since the herring disappeared in the latter part of the 20th century. It has now merged with the neighboring town Ólafsfjörður—the municipality is called Fjallabyggð.

In 2010 a new tunnel opened connecting the two towns through the uninhabited fjord Héðinsfjörður, where <i>Rof<p> is partially set.

ESA