Netflix to adapt acclaimed novel 'Stolen'

Stolen, the critically acclaimed novel, written by author Ann-Helén Laestadius, is adapted into a film for Netflix. 

Directed by Elle Márjá Eira and written for the screen by Peter Birro, the film adaptation is planned to have its global premiere in 2024.

In Stolen (Romanus & Selling), award-winning writer Ann-Helén Laestadius portrays a young woman’s struggle to defend her indigenous heritage in a world where xenophobia is on the rise, climate change is threatening reindeer herding, and young people choose suicide in the face of collective desperation. 

But the novel also lays bare the tensions that arise when modern ideas come up against a traditional culture with deeply rooted patriarchal structures. The adaption will mark her adaptation. Filming is currently planned to begin in Sápmi in the spring of 2023.

"For me, as an author, it is of course a dream to see my book adapted into a film and reach a whole new audience across the world. And I’m incredibly happy that Netflix - with their reach - chooses to highlight a Sami story in a big way," says Ann-Helén Laestadius.

Stolen was originally published in Sweden in 2021. The book was awarded the Book of the Year Award in Sweden in September 2021. The film is planned to be released globally on Netflix in 2024.