Scripted

A first-look image from the new second season of hit crime thriller Black Sands, from acclaimed indie Glassriver, has been released today as production commences in Iceland.

Black Sands is produced by Glassriver for Iceland’s Channel 2, in association with All3Media International. Directed by the award-winning Baldvin Z (Trapped, Case), the latest 8 x 60’ instalment reunites the drama’s cast and crew and is filmed once again on location in Kirkjubæjarklaustur and around Reynisfjara, Iceland’s world-famous black-sand beach.

In the new season of Black Sands, Aldís Amah Hamilton (The Valhalla Murders, Prisoners) returns in the lead role as Anita Elínardóttir, a police detective forced to confront her past as she investigates mysterious deaths in her hometown. Fifteen months have passed since the events of series one, Anita is struggling to raise her baby daughter Erla and is desperate to get back to police work. When a woman is found dead and an official police investigation begins, Anita begins looking into things herself slowly realising there may be a connection to her own past.

Cast members also returning for season two are Ævar Þór Benediktsson (My Funeral), Lára Jóhanna Jónsdóttir (Valhalla, Let Me Fall), Pálmi Gestson and Aron Már Ólafsson with Halldóra Geirharðsdóttir, Sólveig Arnarsdóttir, Erla Ruth, Unnur Birna Bachman and Ólafía Hrönn joining the cast. Series showrunner Baldvin Z will direct 4 episodes in addition to Álfheiður Kjartansdóttir and Erlendur Sveinsson who will each direct two episodes.

The series is written by Ragnar Jónsson, Aldís Amah Hamilton, Baldvin Z and Elías Kofead Hansen and produced by Abby Hafliðadóttir and Andri Ómarsson.

Following the drama’s international premiere at the Berlinale Series in February 2022, Glassriver’s acclaimed series has travelled across four continents. Co-production partners VRT in Belgium and YLE in Finland have both acquired season two, and additional international partners for series one include Viaplay covering the US and multiple European territories, Canal+ in France, UKTV for crime channel Alibi in the UK, Disney+ in the Netherlands and Luxembourg, and Canal+ in Poland. Outside of Europe SBS series partners include SBS in Australia, AXN Mystery Channel in Japan, Pumpkin Film in China, and Upstream Media in the Philippines.

In addition to this raft of global sales Black Sands’ first season received seven nominations at Iceland’s Edda Awards in 2023, including Television Show of the Year and, following it’s Berlinale Series premiere, screened at Nordic Film Days Lübeck in Germany and the Jakarta Independent Film Festival in Indonesia.

Thora Clausen, Head of Programming & Acquisitions at Stod 2 commented, “We are excited for Black Sands to return to the screen next year after the success of the first season with several nominations and international acclaim. Stod 2 is deeply proud of this strong female lead drama and excited to see where the next season will take the audience with the cleverly written and thrilling plotlines ahead. Working with Glassriver and Baldvin Z on this project is a true pleasure and privilege as with all other productions we have partnered on with them.”

Lauren Jackson, VP Scripted Content at All3Media International, commented, “We can’t wait to see what Baldvin Z and Glassriver’s talented team have in store for us as they return to Iceland’s spectacular landscapes for this brand-new instalment. The first season delivered a distinctive thriller that really stood out on the international stage, and it has already been acquired around the world. We’re confident that – with its proven success and now another season on the way – Black Sands will be gripping even more viewers in the coming months.”