Crave has boarded an upcoming series about the love story that inspired the late Montreal singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen’s tune So Long, Marianne, which is coproduced by Cineflix-backed Montreal prodco Connect3 Media.

A year after So Long, Marianne was announced as a commission from Norwegian state broadcaster NRK, the Bell Media streamer says the drama will also be a Crave original.

Principal photography began March 24, with shooting scheduled for the Greek island of Hydra, Oslo in Norway, and Montreal, according to a news release issued on Thursday (April 13).

The eight-part series is also produced by Letters From Leonard and Tanweer Productions, according to the release. It was developed by Ingeborg Klyve (Exit) and Tony Wood (Irvine Welsh’s Crime), and written for the screen by Jo Nesbø (Harry Hole) and Øystein Karlsen (Lilyhammer), who is also a director on the project.

The executive producers are Ales Ree for NRK, Richard Tulk-Hart and the aforementioned Wood, Vegard Stenberg Eriksen and Ingeborg Klyve for Redpoint Productions, Dionyssis Samiotis and Nancy Kokolaki for Tanweer Productions, and André Barro and Pablo Salzman for Connect3.

Cineflix Rights is distributing the series globally.

Set during the 1960s in Oslo, Hydra, New York and Montreal, So Long, Marianne depicts the romance between Cohen and his muse, Marianne Ihlen.

Newly announced cast members include Alex Wolff (Hereditary, Jumanji) as Cohen; Thea Sofie Loch Næss (The Last Kingdom, Delete Me) as Marianne; Anna Torv (The Newsreader, The Last of Us) as Charmian Clift; and Noah Taylor (Peaky Blinders, Game of Thrones) as George Johnston.

Marianne Furevold-Boland, head of drama, NRK said “this project has the potential to become a timeless drama with a universal appeal,” in a statement.

Justin Stockman, VP, English content development and programming at Bell Media, said the project is a “unique coproduction opportunity” that leans into “the strengths of our international partners to deliver stories that translate, and resonate around the world.”

Wolff is repped by WME, Untitled and Definition Entertainment. Loch Næss is repped by Actors in Scandinavia, Independent Talent Group, Gallant Management, Sloane, Offer, Weber & Dern. Torv is repped by United Management and WME. And Taylor is repped by Lou Coulson Associates in London and Andrew Freedman in the U.S.

Photo courtesy of Crave