DR Sales, the international sales arm of Danish public broadcaster DR, has acquired rights to the TV drama 'The Best of Families.' Created by Maja Jul Larsen and produced by Piv Bernth, the series draws from real events at Denmark's ChemiNova chemical factory in the 1950s. It explores the human and moral costs of industrial progress.
DR Sales has taken on international distribution for the six-part limited series 'The Best of Families,' created by Maja Jul Larsen, known for 'Cry Wolf,' and produced by Piv Bernth of 'The Killing' fame. The project, led by Bernth's Apple Tree Productions—which plans to close by the end of 2026—is currently in production following its presentation at Berlinale's Co-Pro Series in 2025.
Inspired by Kim Blæsbjerg's award-winning novel, the story spans a decade and centers on the rise of the ChemiNova factory. As the synopsis describes, it 'promises jobs and progress – while quietly poisoning the land and the people who depend on it.' The narrative follows three women—Margrethe, Karin, and Gudrun—and two brothers, Niels and Erik, as initial prosperity leads to moral compromises and an eventual reckoning.
The ensemble cast includes Mikkel Boe Følsgaard from 'The Chestnut Man,' Lars Ranthe of 'Adam’s Apples,' and Ane Stensgaard Juul from 'The New Nurses,' alongside newcomers Mathilde Eusebius, Tue Lunding, and Morten Agerholm.
Commissioned by DR with support from the West Danish Film Fund and the Nordisk Film and TV Fund, the series forms part of the N12 collaboration among Nordic broadcasters NRK, SVT, Yle, and RÚV. It is slated to premiere on DR in February 2027, with a festival debut planned for spring 2027.
