Prime Video announced that the Nordic documentary Take a Chance will launch exclusively on 19 May in the Nordics and Europe. With unique, unfiltered access, the film explores the mind of Gert van der Graaf, one of the most infamous stalkers in the world. The film follows van der Graaf as he unpacks how his childhood crush on ABBA superstar Agnetha Fältskog turned into an obsession that shaped the rest of his life. With experts, psychologists, friends, and his own words, the film investigates how compulsive fandom can become criminal.
“Through unprecedented access, the film provides new layers to an important and almost unbelievable story,” said Andreas Hjerto, head of content, Prime Video Nordics. “We are amazed by the professionals in front of and behind the camera, who have done an unprecedented and comprehensive job of making it come to life.”
Take a Chance is set against the backdrop of ABBA’s rise to fame, and starts with van der Graaf’s discovery of ABBA at just eight years old. That discovery rapidly turns into an obsession with—and deep love for—Fältskog, motivating van der Graaf to save his money, learn Swedish, and eventually move to Sweden to find her, whilst she is at the peak of her career. After several chance encounters, the unimaginable happens, and the two somehow connect. For Fältskog, their story would eventually come to an abrupt end—but for van der Graaf, it was just the beginning.
“Obsessive fandom and stalkers can feel far removed from our daily lives, but they are a reality for some,” said Maria Thulin, director of Take a Chance. “According to the Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention, hundreds of thousands of Swedish women have been harassed or persecuted by stalkers, and we believe it is important to shed light on this. The documentary gives the audience inside access into a hair-raising story about stalking.”
“Our local content slate is growing, and with Take a Chance, we add a genre-bending documentary that spans crime, music, mystery, and fandom,” said Martin Backlund, managing director Prime Video Nordics. “We aim to offer our Nordic customers relevant content, with local storytelling and filmmaking behind it, and we believe this local story will be of interest to many.”
Take a Chance is a 85-minute documentary produced by Kreativ Inc., A Rabbit Hole, and Bunim Murray Productions, a division of Banijay Americas. Banijay Rights handles international distribution outside Europe. Joel Karsberg (Surviving R. Kelly, The Prize of Silence) and John Mork (Rörelsen, Balkongfallet) serve as executive producers, and Maria Thulin directs.
Take a Chance will join thousands of TV shows and movies in the Prime Video catalogue, including Swedish and Nordic Original series Toppen, LOL: Last One Laughing, The Bridge, Pranked, and Good Luck Guys, as well as award-winning and critically acclaimed Global Original series including The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, Daisy Jones & The Six, Reacher, and The Boys. All content is available on Prime Video, with no extra cost for Amazon Prime members.