Borg/McEnroe

BORG/McENROE

THE WORLD IS WATCHING Borg/McEnroe is a film about one of the world’s greatest icons Björn Borg and his biggest rival, the young and talented John McEnroe and their legendary duel during the 1980’s Wimbledon tournament. It’s a story about two men who changed the face of tennis and who became legends and the price they had to pay.

SYNOPSIS

SHORT SYNOPSIS

Wimbledon, 1980. The rainiest summer in decades. The world

Borg/McEnroe is a film about one of the world’s greatest

is waiting to see the number one tennis player in the world,

icons Björn Borg and his biggest rival, the young and talented

Björn Borg, claim his fifth Wimbledon title. But few know

John McEnroe and their legendary duel during the 1980’s

of the drama behind the scenes: at only 24, Borg is close

Wimbledon tournament. It’s a story about two men who

to the end - run-down, worn out and ridden with anxiety.

changed the face of tennis and who became legends and the

Meanwhile, the challenger John McEnroe, 20, has decided to

price they had to pay.

replace his former hero on the Wimbledon throne.

Borg/McEnroe is a story about the price of success.

How the world’s two best tennis players, already in their early twenties, are imprisoned by their own careers. Two athletes constantly reduced to each other’s opposites by a commercialized tennis industry: the cartoonish ”lce Borg” and ”Superbrat”. Two rivals who, during Wimbledon 1980, are forced to realize that the only person capable of understanding what they are going through is their worst enemy.

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BORG/McENROE

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DIRECTOR’S COMMENT

Photo: Territorium

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DIRECTOR’S COMMENT

DIRECTOR’S COMMENT

by Janus Metz

To me Borg/McEnroe is the tennis version of Raging Bull. It is

Borg/McEnroe re-invokes an era in sports where tennis

about two young men fighting to be the best in order to prove

players were “rock stars” and where John and Björn stood out

themselves, in order to have importance, to be someone or

probably as the two biggest icons. Although I was only a kid in

somebody. Locked in a rivalry against each other – one of the

1980 myself, I remember this era in tennis very clearly. In my

greatest in the history of sports – they are ultimately playing

family we were all waiting for the 1980 Wimbledon final as

against themselves and their own demons.

if it were a holy sermon at St. Paul’s Cathedral on Christmas

Björn and John both had the special ability to drive themselves

Eve. I probably only saw a guy with a funny hairdo moaning

to the edge and beyond. I think this characterizes most great

and groaning on one side of the net and another guy throwing

achievers. And although the world saw them as perfect

crazy temper tantrums on the other, but there was still an air

opposites they had this one particular thing in common – and

of sanctity about it that I remember to this day. Now I see

they recognized that in each other. They both played tennis

that it was all about the way these two players were being

as if their lives depended on it and as the story unfolds we

pitted against each other.

see how these two loners ultimately find understanding and friendship in each other.

Exploring the inner turmoil of both Björn and John, the film deploys visceral cinematography with lots of handheld and steady-cam stressing a sense of immediate presence and realism. And then, this is juxtaposed with iconic establishers creating rich atmospheric and sometimes even symbolic

” In my family we were all waiting for the 1980 Wimbledon final as if it was a holy sermon at the St. Paul’s Cathedral on Christmas Eve.”

imagery, driving at theme and historical importance. The film

This was not just two men playing tennis. This was two

is about a clash of titans and that calls for scale. We place the

continents clashing. Two completely opposite attitudes and

viewer in Björn and John’s shoes, but we also step back from

tempers facing off against each other. Two completely different

this saturated and sometimes claustrophobic space into large-

ways of being human. Borg/McEnroe captures this beautifully.

scale images that stress the grandness of the match and the existential dimension of the story.

As a biopic inspired by the real events of Björn and John’s lives and particularly their legendary 1980 Wimbledon final, 7

CAST

CAST

Photo: Rickard Sund @agentbauer

Photo: Jeff Vespa

SVERRIR GUDNASON

SHIA LABEOUF

STELLAN SKARSGÅRD

as Björn Borg

as John McEnroe

as Lennart Bergelin

Sverrir Gudnason, born in Iceland in

Shia LaBeouf’s natural talent and raw

Stellan Skarsgård, born 1951, became

1978, got his breakthrough on the TV

energy have secured his place as one

a teenage idol for his performance

series How Soon Is Now? (2007) but

of Hollywood’s leading men. LaBeouf

in Bombi Bitt and Me (1968) but his

made his stage debut already as a child

was most recently seen starring in

real breakthrough came with Hans

at Stadsteatern in Reykjavik. When

the critically acclaimed independent

Alfredson’s The Simple-Minded Murderer

Sverrir moved to Sweden he enrolled

film American Honey, a coming-of-age

(1982), which won him a Guldbagge and

in the high school theater program in

drama about a gang of law breaking

a Silver Bear at the Berlinale. He was a

Stockholm and has since appeared in

teenagers chasing the American dream.

fulltime member of The Royal Dramatic

numerous films and TV series, both in

His performance earned him a British

Theatre ensemble in Stockholm 1972-

Sweden and Denmark. At the Shanghai

Independent Film Award nomination

1988, but has since worked mostly

International Film Festival 2009 he won

for “Best Actor,” a London Critics’ Circle

in film and TV. Stellan’s international

an award for his role in the Swedish/

Film Award nomination for “Supporting

career was launched with a role in The

Danish film Original (2009) and has

Actor of the Year,” and an Independent

Unbearable Lightness of Being (1988),

received two Guldbagge Awards, the

Spirit Award nomination for “Best

which has since included prominent

first for his performance in Waltz for

Supporting Male.” Prior to that,

roles in a number of acclaimed films.

Monica (2014), and the other for Blowfly

he co-starred in the post-apocalyptic

He’s worked regularly with directors

Park (2015). In 2016, he played the lead

thriller Man Down alongside Gary

such as Hans Petter Moland and Lars

role in Pernilla August’s A Serious Game.

Oldman, Jai Courtney and Kate Mara

von Trier. In 2015, he was hailed for his

and the war drama Fury with Brad Pitt

performance in the lead role in the TV

and Logan Lerman.

series River.

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CAST

Photo: Xanthe Elbrick

Photo: Wolf Marloh

TUVA NOVOTNY

IAN BLACKMAN

ROBERT EMMS

as Mariana Simionescu

as John McEnroe Sr

as Vitas Gerulaitis

Tuva Novotny (born 1979) is a Swedish

Ian Blackman was born in Toronto,

Robert Emms (born 1986) is an English

actress and director who, with her

Ontario and moved to the United

film, stage and television actor. On

incredible gift for languages, has laid

States when he was 5 years old.

the big screen Emms has worked

the entire world at her feet. She speaks

Growing up in New York’s Hudson

with directors like Steven Spielberg

fluent Swedish, Danish, Norwegian,

Valley, he apprenticed at the acclaimed

in his war epic War Horse (2011) and

Czech and English, and has appeared

Woodstock Playhouse and attended

Roland Emmerich in the historical

in many films and TV series around the

Bard College. After interning at The

drama Anonymous. Emms has also

world. She got her big breakthrough in

Long Wharf Theatre in New Haven,

had successful box office hits with

Sweden in Josef Fares’s The Best Man’s

Connecticut, he moved to New

Kick-Ass 2 (2013) alongside Jim Carrey

Wedding (2000) and the same year

York City where he studied at The

and Mirror Mirror together with Julia

she was Sweden’s Shooting Star at the

Ensemble Studio Theatre Institute,

Roberts. Emms is currently shooting the

Berlin Film Festival. In Norway, Tuva has

later appearing On and Off-Broadway

Untitled Jurassic Park Sequel scheduled

appeared in the TV series Nobel (2016),

as well as in Regional Theatres across

for release 2018 and the tv mini-series

Erik Poppe’s The King’s Choice (2016),

the U.S. Television work includes guest

Gunpowder.

among others, and has directed and

appearances on Billions, Boardwalk

played in the TV series Dag. In 2016,

Empire, Jessica Jones, The Blacklist, The

she was in Denmark’s Oscar-nominated

Sopranos and the recurring role of

A War by Tobias Lindholm. Tuva has

Senator Casey Giallo on Netflix’ House

won and been nominated for an array

of Cards. Film work includes Men in

of award throughout Scandinavia such

Black 3, Bourne Legacy, The Judge, the

as the Swedish Guldbagge Award, the

Coen Brothers’ Inside Llewyn Davis and

Danish Zulu, Bodil, and Robert Awards,

the role of Cuddahy in their most recent

and Norway’s Amanda and Golden

Hail, Caesar!

Screen Awards. In 2017 she appears in Annhilation directed by Alex Garland.

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CAST

SCOTT ARTHUR as Peter Fleming Scott Arthur hails from South Wales, where he also studied acting at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama.

His recent credits along with Borg/ McEnroe include, Bridgend (Blenkov & Schønnemann Pictures), Six Wives (BBC/ PBS), Victoria (MAMMOTH/ITV/PBS).

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CAST

”Borg/McEnroe is about two young men fighting to be the best in order to prove themselves, in order to have importance, to be someone or somebody. Locked in a rivalry against each other – one of the greatest in the history of sports – they are ultimately playing against themselves and their own demons.”

Janus Metz

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CAST

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CAST

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CREW

CREW

Photo: Territorium

Photo: Pauli Haanpää

Photo: Niels Buchholzer

JANUS METZ

RONNIE SANDAHL

NIELS THASTUM

Director

Screenwriter

Director of Photography

With Armadillo (2010) director Janus

Ronnie Sandahl, born in 1984, is

As a graduate from the National

Metz (born 1974) stepped firmly into

a Swedish journalist, director and

Filmschool of Denmark in 2009, Niels

the international limelight winning the

writer. Sandahl began his career as a

Thastum has from the get-go shown

Grand Prix of the acclaimed critics

wordsmith already at the age of 14,

great talent with a distinct creative

programme, Semaine de la Critique at

when he worked as a reporter at the

nerve. His style is characterized by

the Cannes Film Festival. His Danish

local newspaper in his hometown of

an intimate and expressive tone that

breakthrough came in 2008 with the

Falköping. Journalism brought him to

captures the viewer. As a result, Niels

two films, Love on Delivery & Ticket

Stockholm where he worked for the

has proven to be one of Scandinavia’s

to Paradise. Metz’ body of work also

tabloid Aftonbladet until 2008. The

most sought after cinematographers

include shorts, commercials, art films

year before that he published his first

on both commercial projects as well as

and music videos. In January 2015

novel, Vi som aldrig sa hora (We who

on longer forms such as features and

Metz directed episode 203 Man is

never said whore), which received a

documentaries, where his ability to

the Cruelest Animal of the critically

lot of public attention because of its

create exiting and evocative imagery

acclaimed HBO series True Detective

dark and critical portrayal of the male

truly comes to show. His feature

starring Vince Vaughn, Colin Farrel and

role while growing up in Falköping. His

debut When Animals Dream, directed

Rachel McAdams.

feature film debut Underdog (2014) with

by Jonas Arnby, made it to Cannes

Bianca Kronlöf marked Sandahl’s big

and furthermore Niels won the danish

screen breakthrough. It has so far won

Bodil for Best Cinematography and

dozens of awards and citations at film

won Best Cinematographer Debut at

festivals all over the world.

Camerimage. His next feature, In the Blood, which was featured at Toronto Film Festival, won a Bodil for best danish film.

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CREW

Photo: Territorium

Photo: Territorium

JON NOHRSTEDT

FREDRIK WIKSTRÖM NICASTRO

Producer

Producer

Jon Nohrstedt is the producer behind

Fredrik Wikström Nicastro is one of

two of Sweden’s all-time most seen

Sweden’s most commercially successful

animation films Bamse and the City

film producers. He has produced

of Thieves (2014) and Bamse and The

seven feature films, including the

Witch’s Daughter (2016). Both films

internationally acclaimed Easy Money

were nominated for the Audience

trilogy (starring Joel Kinnaman).

Award at the Swedish Guldbagge

Wikström Nicastro has also served as

Awards 2014 and 2016. He has been

Head of Film at SF Studios from 2010,

working for SF Studios since 2009 and

over- seeing box office hits such as the

produced and co-produced TV series

2016 foreign language Academy Award

and feature films. He has many times

Nominee A Man Called Ove (the highest

worked together with producer Fredrik

grossing Scandinavian film of the past

Wikström Nicastro since his launch of

25 years.) He has also co-produced

the highly successful Easy Money trilogy

The Wave (2015) (the third highest

in 2010.

grossing film ever in Norway).

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CREW

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”The film is about a clash of titans and that calls for scale.

We place the viewer in Björn and John’s shoes, but we also step back from this saturated and sometimes claustrophobic space into large-scale images that stress the grandness of the match and the existential dimension of the story.”

Janus Metz

PRODUCTION FACTS

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PRODUCTION FACTS

PRODUCTION FACTS PRODUCT INFORMATION

CREW

Swedish Title

Borg

Screenplay

International Title

Borg/McEnroe

Director of

Production Year

2017

Photography

Niels Thastum DFF

Genre

Biopic, drama

Production Design

Lina Nordqvist

Running Time

105 min

Costume Design

Kicki Ilander

National Premiere

September 2017, Sweden

Make-Up &

Country of Origin

Sweden

Wig Design

Aspect Ratio

1:2,39 Cinemascope

Key Make-Up

Sound Mix

5.1

& Prosthetics

Anders Bratås

Language/s

Swedish/English

Casting

Jina Jay, Johannes Persson, Jessie Frost

Budget

Approx. 7 M €

Casting Children

Maggie Widstrand

Produced by

SF Studios Production in co-production

Executive Line

with Film i Väst, Sveriges Television,

Producer

Sanne Glaesel

Nordisk Film, Yellow Film & TV, SF

Line Producer

Olof Spaak

Studios Production A/S and Sirena

Editors

Per Sandholdt & Per K. Kirkegaard

Film, with production support from

Sound Design

Rasmus Winther Jensen & Heikki Kossi M.P.S.E

the Swedish Film Institute (Yaba Holst

Composers

Jonas Struck, Vladislav Delay,

Ronnie Sandahl

AnnaCarin Lock

Jon Ekstrand & Carl-Johan Sevedag

& Margareta Jangard), Nordic Film & TV Fond, the Danish Film Institute, the

Executive Producer Tim King

Finnish Film Foundation, DR, YLE and

Producers

Jon Nohrstedt & Fredrik Wikström Nicastro

development support from MEDIA.

© 2017 AB Svensk Filmindustri. All Rights Reserved.

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Director

Janus Metz

Still Photography

Julie Vrabelova & Josef Persson

PRODUCTION FACTS

CAST Sverrir Gudnason

Björn Borg

Shia LaBeouf

John McEnroe

Stellan Skarsgård

Lennart Bergelin

Tuva Novotny

Mariana Simionescu

Ian Blackman

John McEnroe Sr

Robert Emms

Vitas Gerulaitis

Scott Arthur

Peter Fleming

David Bamber

George Barnes

Janis Ahern

Psychologist

Jane Perry

Kay McEnroe

Claes Ljungmark

Mats Hasselqvist

Jackson Gann

Young John McEnroe

Leo Borg

Young Björn Borg age 9-13

Marcus Mossberg

Young Björn Borg age 15+

Colin Stinton

Talk Show Host

Dag Malmberg

Club Chairman Södertälje

Björn Granath

Bengt Grive

ABOUT SF STUDIOS Since the start in 1919, Sf Studios has produced well over 1200 feature films including some of the best of early Scandinavian cinema from directors Sjöström, Stiller, Sjöberg and Dreyer. Contemporary directors include the Academy Award winners Ingmar Bergman and Lasse Hallström, Academy Award nominee Colin Nutley, international award winning directors Jan Troell, Bo Widerberg and many new directors emerging on the international scene. Some of the acclaimed actors starring in SF features include Greta Garbo, Ingrid Bergman, Max von Sydow, Bibi Andersson, Harriet Andersson, Liv Ullmann, Erland Josephson, Lena Endre, Helena Bergström, Rolf Lassgård, Mikael Persbrandt, Mikael Nyqvist, Lykke Li, Ola Rapace and many more.

In recent years SF Studios has been responsible for film productions such as the Easy Money trilogy, Bamse and The City of Thieves and A Man Called Ove (Oscar nominated and one of the most viewed films in Sweden of all time). Amongst our biggest upcoming titles are the international production I Am Victor to be directed by Baltasar Kormákur based on the bestselling novel by Jo Nesbø.

SF Studios is a part of the Bonnier Group – the media major in the Nordic region. SF Studios handles all facets of the industry i.e. production, theatrical, home video, TV, multimedia distribution as well as international sales.

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�This was not just two men playing tennis.

This was two continents clashing. Two completely opposite attitudes and tempers facing off against each other.

Two completely different ways of being human.�

Janus Metz

INTERNATIONAL SALES

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INTERNATIONAL SALES

INTERNATIONAL SALES SF STUDIOS SF Studios

Anita Simovic

Sveavägen 56

Head of International Sales

SE 111 34 Stockholm, Sweden

anita.simovic@sfstudios.se

+46 8 409 188 00

Direct: +46 8 409 18 888 Mobile: +46 70 648 26 11

international@sfstudios.se Peter Torkelsson

www.sfinternational.se

International Sales Manager peter.torkelsson@sfstudios.se Mobile: +46 72 577 37 69

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SF Studios Sveavägen 56 SE 111 34 Stockholm, Sweden +46 8 409 188 00 international@sfstudios.se www.sfinternational.se