Danish FILMs cannes ISSUE 2015 FILM is published by the Danish Film Institute

Tsunami David Dencik Beauty and sorrow intermix in Sofie Digging deep into Danish World War II He is a master of doing a lot with a little. Nørgaard Kampmark’s short animation. history. Gold Coast Katja Adomeit Klown Forever Jakob Oftebro and Danica Curcic set to She loves the creative side of producing A humorous X-ray of the modern male. music by Badalamenti. and never tires of finding new ideas. Meet a producer who is all about the Rosita facts & figures non-traditional. When love arrives by mail order. Get all the numbers on Danish cinema 2014. FILM is the Danish Film Institute’s ­international festival magazine, issued prior to the festivals in Berlin, Cannes and Amsterdam. FILM includes a comprehensive ­catalogue in the reverse section. DANISH FILMS CANNES ISSUE 2015 FILM Digital Issue is the Danish Film Institute’s Published by the Danish Film Institute online release bringing articles on new films, a ­catalogue section and useful information about Editors Susanna Neimann (SN) people and companies. Annemarie Hørsman (AH) FILM Digital Issue: www.dfi.dk/film Editorial team Lars Fiil-Jensen (LFJ) Anders Budtz-Jørgensen (ABJ) Freja Dam (FD) The Danish Film Institute is the national agency Lea Mosegaard (LM) that supports and encourages Danish film and cinema culture. DFI Festival team Lizette Gram Mygind Christian Juhl Lemche Anne Marie Kürstein

Translations Glen Garner IMAGES OF LOSS Sofie Nørgaard Kampmark was living in Tokyo in 2011 when a tsunami hit Japan and laid 12 waste to vast stretches of coastline. The young director talks about how her encounter Design AND BEAUTY Rasmus Koch Studio with the Japanese inspired her to make Tsunami, her graduation film from the Animation Art Direction Workshop, one of ’s most respected animation schools. Pernille Volder Lund Type Holton, Swift, Akzidenz Paper MultiDesign White Printed by Centertryk Circulation 2,500

ISSN 1399-2813 (print version) ISSN 1903-7511 (online version) Danish FILMs Cover Cannes Digital issue 2015 Left to right: Gold Coast, photo Michael ALL ABOUT THE NON-TRADITIONAL DOGME REVISITED DOING A LOT WITH A LITTLE Haslund-Christensen / producer Katja Adomeit, photo Daniel Joseph Borgman / 14 Katja Adomeit loves the creative side of 20 Twenty years ago, and 24 David Dencik can be understated and producing and never tires of finding new wrote ten rules that subtle where others feel they have to raise Land of Mine, photo Gordon Timpen / Find articles from our print concepts for her films, whether they are would change Danish film forever. FILM their voice. A profile of the Danish actor Rosita, framegrab / Tsunami, framegrab / magazine, a film catalogue and made in , South Dakota, looks back on the rescue action and follows who has more than 60 roles in films and on Klown Forever, photo Per Arnesen / Ukraine or Afghanistan. the traces in Danish cinema today. television to his name. Men & Chicken, photo Rolf Konow. all the basics on Danish films.

Danish Film Institute Gothersgade 55 GREAT CINEMA ON A SHOESTRING? DK-1123 K dfi.dk/film SHORTS FACTS & FIGURES 18 Directors and producers have an appetite + + T +45 3374 3400 for making films for little money. FILM asked dfi.dk/english 04 NEWS & NOTES DANISH CINEMA IN 2014 four film professionals about their views on Discover new films and find stories low-budget filmmaking – a phenomenon on filmmakers and the industry. which is hardly new but is getting increased + CATALOGUE attention at a time when talent is plentiful, 17 CO-PRODUCTIONS IN REVERSE SECTION funding limited and technology more Introducing the Danish partners on Joachim available than ever before. Trier’s Louder Than Bombs and Grímur Hákonarson’s The Rams, selected for Cannes. 28 TO WATCH OUT FOR Three new documentaries each follow a determined individual on a mission.

DANISH FILMS | Cannes Issue 2015 news & notes / danish films

Limited News & Notes Photo: Steen Brogaard

Budgets, Photo: Universal Pictures CEO of the Copenhagen Film Fund, which has supported the production unlimited Danish with DKK 6m (EUR 0.81m). Sixty crew members from London Creativity were supplemented by eighty Danish Girl in B-crew members. And the Britons Danish film policy is distinguished by being open and could have easily saved some of the having many avenues to funding. Filmmakers have Copen- plane tickets, says Gammeltoft. “Both parties learned that we would benefit many doors to knock on if they have a good idea for from mixing the teams more and leave a film, TV series or video game. The doors are open hagen some of the prominent positions to to mainstream films with a broad appeal as well as to local crew members.” In future Watch out for radical experimentation, to new talents and seasoned INDUSTRY STORY. Over a few collaborations, the Danish production Danica Curcic auteurs, and to international co-productions. The many weeks in March, the Danish coordinators will try to present some capital formed the backdrop for Danish crew members in London ahead doors ensure diversity and the evolution of Danish PEOPLE. Denmark’s quickest rising the shooting of Tom Hooper’s of the production and keep them as star, Danica Curcic, was the first- films enriched by a multitude of voices and global The Danish Girl, a venture backed leading crew members in Copenhagen. ever actor to receive the Nordisk Film cultural exchange. by Copenhagen Film Fund. “At first glance, Denmark is an Prize talent award at the opening of expensive country to shoot in because CPH PIX in April. “I didn’t even know The new four-year Film Agreement for 2015-2018 is now Not since images of Copenhagen’s of the high wages,” Gammeltoft says. an actor could win this prize,” said City Town Square traveled round the “But we are used to working with opening even more options for low-budget films. The a thrilled Curcic in her acceptance world in Alfred Hitchcock’s Topaz a much smaller crew, which saves speech, where she also encouraged aim is to fund a greater number of inexpensive films from 1969 has a grand Hollywood money in the end – if the teams and Gerda Wegener. Their marriage the streets undisturbed,” says through 2015. So far it has invested screen-writers in general to pen more exploring new narratives and production methods. production had the same opportunity adapt to our method.” and work is put to the test when Gammeltoft. in productions such as Barnaby substantial parts for women. She Conceived as low-budget films, they are not just cheap to brand the Danish capital as Tom The Danish Girl is a love story Einar begins his journey towards The fund is currently in talks with episode no. 100, The Team, The definitely proved she can carry them: versions of “regular” films. Their production concepts Hooper’s upcoming feature, The inspired by the lives of artists Einar becoming Lili Elbe, one of the world’s Working Title about supporting a new Bridge III and Wallander (both With major roles in no less than four Danish Girl. The Oscar-winning first transgender women. large-scale studio production. FD in production). See more at are devised in tandem with their content. Ultimately, feature films (’s Silent director (Les Misérable, The King’s British Oscar-winner Eddie cphfilmfund.com/en. Heart, Christian E. Christiansen’s the films are inspired, not limited, by the budget. Speech) spent two weeks shooting Redmayne (The Theory of Everything, Copenhagen Film Fund was On the Edge, Mikkel Nørgaard’s on location in central Copenhagen at Les Misérables) and Swedish rising established in 2013 and is a Photos of Eddie Redmayne The Absent One and Hella Joof’s Already, there is huge interest among young, inter- the end of March. star Alicia Vikander (Ex Machina) collaboration between a number as Lili Elbe/Einar Wegener, left, and All Inclusive), winner at the national nationally oriented producers who have experience The film marks the first Hollywood play the leads. The cast also includes of Copenhagen municipalities, the from the set of The Danish Girl by Robert and , and selected production to be supported by the Matthias Schoenaerts (Rust and Capital Region and various players the “Nyhavn” waterfront, above, one using a limited budget to boost the creative process. Photo: Universal Pictures as a Shooting Star at the Berlinale, the Copenhagen Film Fund, established Bone), (Skyfall), and from the Danish film industry. The of the film’s approximately twenty 29-year-old actress definitely has kept Meet Jacob Jarek, who highlights the explosive energy in 2013. Produced by Universal Amber Heard (The Rum Diary). purpose is to strengthen the position locations in Copenhagen. In one scene busy the past year. Next up are roles and creative freedom that a faster, nimbler production subsidiary Working Title Film, it’s the “The actors enjoyed the relaxed of the capital as an attractive city for Copenhagen doubles as Paris where in Daniel Dencik’s historical drama process can engender. Jarek is the co-producer, with perfect scale for the fund to make a atmosphere of Copenhagen and film and TV production. The fund has Lili Elbe lived for a while. The film is Gold Coast and May el-Toukhy’s Ditte Milsted, of Grímur Hákonarson’s The Rams, difference, says Thomas Gammeltoft, the fact that they could walk around a budget of EUR 4.69m going also shot in London and Belgium. romantic comedy Long Story Short. FD selected for Un Certain Regard.

Producer on the Move Katja Adomeit likewise points of True Detective Season Two. We set with Justin Lin who directed the are all extremely skilled actors. When out, “I’m all about finding non-traditional methods asked Metz about that experience. first two episodes. My task to a great you put them together with Nic’s Janus extent was to facilitate an existing scripts, magic happens. I found that that can be low-budget and cost-efficient while also Metz on joining True Detective concept, so I spent some time looking the whole cast functioned as a very, forming a more creative environment.” Producing I know that Nic Pizzolatto, the creator at Justin’s dailies and generally getting very finely balanced ensemble. films in New Zealand, South Dakota, Ukraine and Metz of True Detective, was very enthusiastic to know how he set everything up. Afghanistan, Adomeit moves seamlessly across cultures about Armadillo and we had some On the series’ qualities and borders. This year’s crop of talented producers on True good talks about his script for On directing episode 3 I think it’s one of the strongest Galveston, which I’m set to direct. He Episode 3 has some amazing scenes. character-driven dramas created for in Cannes also includes Mikkel Jersin, co-producer of asked me if I wanted to come over and It’s when a lot of the elements that have television in a long time. Nic writes Louder Than Bombs, which is playing in Competition. Detective direct an episode of True Detective. been built up in the first two episodes unique dialogue with a powerful Of course, I couldn’t say no to that. really start picking up speed. We had understanding of place and a great TV VENTURE. The filmmaker shares some big sequences with stuntmen sense of the visual. There’s an in-

The Danish Film Institute wishes to congratulate Sofie Photo: HBO Detective Season Two in True Vince Vaughn Nørgaard Kampmark on the Cinéfondation selection his experience directing an episode On preparing and lots of extras, which I’d never tried depth study of something deeply in the second season of HBO’s hit I made sure to study the scripts down before on that scale. It was great fun. human in the show, the dark sides of of her animated short Tsunami, produced at the series, to premiere on 21 June. to the smallest detail and talk a lot with the mind that we’re all, more or less, Animation Workshop in Viborg. Nic along the way, so the psychology On Vince Vaughn able to recognise in ourselves. FD Janus Metz’s Cannes-winning and the character work would be in One of the things that makes the We look forward to meeting you in the bustle of documentary Armadillo created a place. Also, I chose to come to Los show so powerful is Nic’s ability to out in a genre that’s so different from creative person. Generally, he was Janus Metz (born 1974) won the Cannes. Our doors are open at the Scandinavian stir back in 2010 with its unblinking Angeles a week earlier than I had to. write complex characters. His skills anything he’s done before. You always best when he had fairly free rein. Critics’ Week Grand Prize at Cannes account of festering cynicism among I’ve been there quite a lot, but I wanted in that respect are reflected in the sense that there’s a lot at stake in his for Armadillo (2010). Co-wrote Daniel Terrace, 55 La Croisette. young Danish soldiers in Afghanistan. to get the city under my skin a bit casting. Vince, in my eyes, was perfect performance. He masters the ability to On the rest of the cast Dencik’s Expedition to the End of the Now Metz is making his international more, since it’s the frame for the story. for the part of a gangster boss. It was give his characters a depth that always Collin Farrel, Rachel McAdams, Taylor World (2013). Member of the Nordic Henrik Bo Nielsen, CEO, Danish Film Institute TV debut directing the third episode That also allowed me to spend time on a huge pleasure to watch him stretch shows through. He’s an extremely Kitsch and Kelly Reilly, the other leads, directors’ co-op Creative Alliance.

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Badalamenti films & people Christensen & Hvam on Klown scores Dencik’s After receiving unanimous critical “The Klown universe is originally Gold Coast acclaim for in 2006 based on our mutual relationship. Peter Schønau Fog has kept a We are polar opposites. That NEW FILM. David Lynch composer low profile. Now, almost ten years clash was the starting point for Angelo Badalamenti (Twin Peaks, later, the director is set to release his Klown Forever Photo: Per Arnesen the series and later the films. Blue Velvet, Mulholland Drive) has second feature film, You Disappear. Klown is a portrait of the modern composed the music for Daniel The film is an adaptation of Christian man in the Western world, of the Dencik’s feature debut, Gold Coast. Jungersen’s novel about the familial man who has everything and yet “Working with Angelo is a personal Gold Coast Photo: Michael Haslund-Christensen and personal consequences of a is constantly creating problems dream come true,” says Dencik, man’s brain damage. Produced by for himself. There’s a lot of the who got in touch with the composer . real world in Klown. But it’s not through a personal connection Jesper W. Nielsen is working all our world. It’s the world of our to David Lynch’s ex-wife, Mary on The Day Will Come, a drama friends, stories we’ve heard and Sweeney. “Angelo invited me to his inspired by true events at a boys’ our own fantasies about the house in New Jersey. I left with only home in the 1960s. The film reunites world. We’re like Hans Christian a date and an address, and then we Lars Mikkelsen and Sofie Gråbøl who Andersen schooled by Lars von started making music.” last paired up in the first season of Trier. We produce universal Gold Coast covers one of the the TV series The Killing. The film is stories that people can relate to, darkest chapters in Danish history, best intentions and Christian belief Daniel Dencik (born 1972) directed produced by Zentropa. with a transgressive streak, a namely Denmark’s role in the trans- are soon confronted with a harsh his first feature documentary in 2012 Following a string of TV series, kind of modern Dogme fairytales.” atlantic slave trade. In 1836, Danish reality dominated by slave trade and with Moon Rider, about a young man including vampire show Heartless botanist and visionary, Frederik Wulff, unbelievable brutality. struggling to become a professional and crime hit series The Killing III, Photos from Klown Forever and, travels to Africa following orders from Gold Coast stars quickly rising cyclist. In 2011, he and a team of Natasha Arthy has directed her fourth below, and the king of Denmark. He is to monitor talents Jakob Oftebro, who plays scientists and artists set sail for feature film, Comeback. The comedy, Frank Hvam at work. the work at a coffee plantation on the Wulff, and Danica Curcic as a young Greenland, recording the journey in about a failed comedian who has his Gold Coast (now Ghana). The young missionary. The film is produced Expedition to the End of the World life turned upside down when his Wulff writes about his desire to do by Haslund/Dencik Entertainment. (2013). Gold Coast marks Dencik’s impudent teenage daughter suddenly good to his beloved Eleonora, but his Domestic release on 2 July. FD feature fiction debut. turns up, is produced by Toolbox Film. Out next is Nørgaard’s Klown any of the moments of self-reflection Todd Brown is producer and head Domestic release is set for August. Forever, set to premiere this fall. that suggest to most men that perhaps of international acquisitions at Los A Conspiracy of Faith is the Kings of In this second film featuring the doing these things might be a bad idea. Angeles-based XYZ Films, director third installment in the crime series comedic duo, Frank is starting to feel They’re pure stimulus/response without of international programming for about cold case detective Carl the heavy burden of relationship and any critical thought whatsoever. Austin’s Fantastic Fest, and founder “THE GREATEST CATHEDRALS HAVE Mørck. Hans Petter Moland (A Cringe children. Meanwhile, his best friend and editor of TwitchFilm.com. Somewhat Gentle Man, In Order of NEW FILM. As we await the Casper is off to Los Angeles to live Who is your favourite character? Disappearance) will be taking over premiere of Mikkel Nørgaard’s the American dream, since Denmark I’m partial to Frank, myself. There’s just Mikkel Nørgaard (born 1974) SUBLIME ARTWORK HIDDEN IN THE from director Mikkel Nørgaard, who Klown Forever, FILM asked Todd isn’t big enough for him anymore. something so blissfully naïve about him. directed the Clown series (2005- directed the first two adaptations of Brown, programmer of one of As we brace ourselves for a new 2009) and made his feature debut Jussi Adler-Olsen’s novels. Produced with Klown (2010), winner of Best DARKEST OF CORNERS FOR ONLY America’s foremost genre film helping of male misbehaviour, Todd How would you compare Klown by Zentropa. Pictured is the director festivals, about the Klown brand’s Brown, who knows his way around to American comedies? Comedy and Best Screenplay at particular sense of humour. the genre film industry, shares his Both Todd Phillips (The Hangover Austin Fantastic Fest and the main GOD TO SEE ... SO DOES MURDER!” thoughts about Klown’s special films) and Judd Apatow This( Is 40, prize at the Fantasia Film Festival Danish comedians Frank Hvam and comedy flavour. Knocked Up) are pretty good in Montreal. Directed the two So runs the tantalizing tagline for Lars von Trier’s English-language Casper Christensen have long been comparisons for Klown’s sense of adaptations of Jussi Adler-Olsen’s TV series, The House That Jack Built, currently in development.

household names on Scandinavian TV. How would you describe the humour, though in general American crime novels, The Keeper of Lost The story centres on a serial killer and is told from the vantage point of Photo: Henrik Ohsten In their hit show Clown, which ran for humour? comedy is often a little more cynical Causes (2013) and The Absent One the killer. Reportedly with a huge international cast, the eight-part series six seasons from 2005 to 2009, I think what makes it work is that it’s and cruel with this type of subject (2014). Klown Forever, produced by comes more than 20 years after von Trier’s groundbreaking miniseries Hvam and Christensen play larger- gleefully anarchic while also remaining than it is here with Klown. AH Nutmeg Movies, premieres in 2015. . Shooting is set to commence in 2016. Produced by Zentropa. than-life versions of themselves as they really anchored in the characters. stumble from one socially awkward It’s extreme without being mean and situation to the next, exposing any somehow manages to stay relatable. with actors Fares Fares, Pål Sverre and all negative male impulses. democrats Hagen and Nikolaj Lie Kaas. The first feature-film version,Klown , Most comedies don’t travel well. on tour Borgen actress Birgitte Hjort came out in 2010. Directed by Mikkel How did Klown manage to do it? Sørensen plays a yet to be named Nørgaard, who was also behind the I think the key is that it’s not based on TRIBECA. “At once important and wildling chieftainess in episode eight series, Klown became the biggest punch lines or gags but in the generally impishly entertaining,” Variety wrote Betancur Photo: Kena of Game of Thrones, season five. Danish box-office draw in a decade and horrible scenario of being male. It’s all about Camilla Nielsson’s Democrats, Sørensen recently starred opposite screened to enthusiastic audiences the bits about being male that women winning the top doc prize at Tribeca Antonio Banderas in Gabe Ibáñez’ at North America’s biggest genre suspect that men are actually up to Film Festival in April. Providing a rare Automata and plays a member of the film festivals, Fantasia in Montreal – and that men probably would be, if insider’s view of the process leading to rival a cappella group in Elizabeth and Fantastic Fest in Austin. Also, they’d not been properly socialised. Zimbabwe’s new constitution, the film Bank’s Pitch Perfect 2. The actress Warner Bros has acquired the is in high demand at festivals. Before has been announced as a regular on English-language remake rights to What’s the appeal in this? setting off for Toronto’s Hot Docs and HBO’s untitled Rock’n’Roll drama

the film and series, which have sold I think it lies in recognition of the Casper Christensen and Frank Hvam Photo: Joachim Ladefoged later the San Francisco Film Festival, series set in 70’s New York, directed for remakes in several European urges that Casper and Frank actually Nielsson, right, shared a moment in by Martin Scorsese and produced by countries. Right now, a hugely live out. It’s like the two of them New York with Tribeca co-founder Mick Jagger. Sørensen plays Ingrid, popular Dutch remake is airing its experience all of the impulses common Robert De Niro after the Tribeca a Danish actress favored by Andy second season. to men around the world but without awards ceremony on 23 April. AH Warhol.

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Love Land of Mine shines a light on a dark chapter in Danish WWII Rosita. Framegrab history. Following the German by Mail capitulation in 1945, Denmark and England arguably breached Order Land of Mine Photo: Henrik Petit international law by forcing German POWs, some underage, to demine the entire Danish NEW FILM. As Barbara Streisand North Sea coastline where the sings, love comes from the most Nazi occupation had laid down unexpected places. In Frederikke around two million mines. Today, Aspöck’s second feature, Rosita, the United Nations reports that it comes by mail order from the every year, landmines kill 15,000 Philippines – and from a father’s to 20,000 people and maim bedroom. countless more. Even so, mines continue to be used as weapons Johannes lives with his father, the of war. Actor Daniel Craig was middle-aged widower Ulrik, in a small recently appointed the first UN fishing town. They live a life of quiet global advocate for the elimination routine, each minding their separate heart and life in a story full of great Father and son in love with the same Bear for Best Actor in Berlin 2012 of mines and explosive hazards. jobs in the fishing industry. Ulrik emotions and timid men.” woman? Smells like trouble. But for his first film role as king in Nikolaj misses the love and tenderness of a The domestic triangle heats up over even though Johannes and Ulrik Arcel’s A Royal Affair. Playing woman and arranges for the young, the following weeks, as Johannes both suffer, Aspöck considers their his father Ulrik is Jens Albinus beautiful Filipina, Rosita, to come to and Rosita become more and more experience to be positive. (Nymphomaniac), and Mercedes Denmark – as many other men in town attracted to each other. Johannes, “I insist that even in the most Cabral (Serbis, Kinatay) is Rosita. say, ‘Oh let’s do it again’ … I was German co-production. The team is have done before him. Johannes is whose life has always been charac- impossible life situations, there is Produced by Nordisk Film. FD thinking, ‘Wow, imagine doing eyeing an international festival launch reluctantly drawn in as Ulrik’s translator. terised by routine and habit, is shaken always a gleam of hope. Their love for Lawrence of Arabia, that must have and theatrical release later in 2015. “It’s becoming more and more by the encounter with the clever and the same woman shakes them both Frederikke Aspöck (born 1974) Digging Deep been a nightmare!” Meanwhile, the director is curious common for Asian women to marry determined Rosita, who has come to out of a predetermined trajectory. No has directed several shorts, including The beauty of the beaches contrast to hear the reactions to Land of Mine, European men in modern marriages Denmark for a better life. matter how problematic it is to get her thesis film from NYU’s Tisch with the bodily horrors that follow land- which will certainly inspire debate of convenience,” says Frederikke “Until Johannes meets Rosita, he involved in a relationship with your School of Arts, Happy Now (2004), mine explosions. Zandvliet thought not just about the lingering politics Aspöck. “But what happens when has always just gone with the flow, father’s wife, love is a privilege, and winner of the Premier Prix de la into History carefully about showing enough blood of World War II, but of relevant you have to share your home and like all the other men in town. But Johannes’, Rosita’s and Ulrik’s lives Cinéfondation in Cannes. Her first to bring home the danger inherent in situations around the globe today. your bed with a complete stranger? love awakens him, and for the first will forever be richer.” feature, Out of Bounds (2011), was NEW FILM. ’s defeat The young Germans were all amateur the job, but without desensitising the “In every war, in every country, With Rosita, I have tried to give the time, he is forced to take control over Rosita stars Mikkel Boe Følsgaard selected for Cannes. Rosita, released is the typical ending point actors, discovered through one of audience to bloody accidents. “The we have the aftermath after war. It’s transnational bride phenomenon his life,” says Aspöck. as Johannes. Følsgaard won the Silver in May, is her second feature. for World War II films, yet it’s Europe’s most respected casting first draft of the script was probably important that we learn to forgive or at only the beginning of Martin directors, Simone Bär, who has more horrible and horrifying, but then least not see everybody as the enemy. Zandvliet’s Land of Mine. worked with Michael Haneke among I toned it down eventually,” he says. That’s very present in the life we live others. “I wanted boys that had this now. In Kosovo, Afghanistan, Syria – By Wendy Mitchell realness to them, so that we believed “It is a fictionalized story, who is going to clear those mines?” Charlotte these boys as being there, not that “We hope that Land of Mine can For his third fictional feature, Danish we’d seen them in some Christmas but it’s based on facts of how help bring even more attention to this Bruus writer/director Martin Zandvliet looks movie a month before,” Zandvliet adds. many boys were there, how terrible weapon and create a global Christensen at a little known – and morally Danish actor Roland Møller steps many mines were there. focus around it,” says Zandvliet. complex – chapter in Danish history, up to his first leading role as the It adds up to 2,000 people, “Maybe Roland Møller could act PEOPLE. The Danish cinema- when German POWs (some merely sergeant. Zandvliet was impressed: and 900 of them blew up.” as Denmark’s UN advocate against tographer was “discovered” by teenagers) were forced to clear two “He plays in a different kind of way landmines. That would be great” Thomas Vinterberg after he watched million German landmines from the where I believe in the words he says. Land of Mine, with a budget of some of the shorts she shot in West Danish coast after the Germans I believe in his anger.” EUR4.8m, is Zandvliet’s biggest Martin Zandvliet (born 1971) is England where she graduated from evacuated at the end of World War II. production to date, after his previous making his third feature with Land of the National Film and Television “It is a fictionalized story, but it’s Inspire Debate about Mines features Applause and A Funny Man. Mine, set for a 2015 release. Both his School. The pair has collaborated based on facts of how many boys Zandvliet shot the film on one of the The film reteams him with producer debut feature, Applause (2009), and on (2010), The Hunt were there, how many mines were beaches where the landmines were Mikael Rieks of Nordisk Film. K5 his second, A Funny Man (2012), were

Twentieth Century Fox DoP Charlotte Bruus Christensen Photo: Twentieth (2013), for which Bruus Christensen there. It adds up to 2,000 people, and cleared – it is now a military area. The handles international sales on the screened at the Toronto Film Festival. won the technical award at Cannes, 900 of them blew up,” Zandvliet says. shoot itself wasn’t as harrowing as it and Far from the Madding Crowd The director did his own research looks on screen, thanks in part to the (2015). After watching The Hunt, and then wrote the script over three more than a dozen group of teenage Anton Corbijn asked her to shoot years (mixing in other projects) and boys on set. “The World Cup was on. “There’s a director inside his James Dean and Dennis Stock eventually decided that the focus They would disarm mines during the every cinematographer. If you feature, Life, which premiered in of the story was not only the group day and watch football at night,” the don’t have an understanding Berlin. Several critics highlighted of young German boys clearing the director says with a laugh. Far from the beaches, but also the Danish sergeant But it wasn’t all easy. The biggest of the director’s work, you her cinematography in Madding Crowd: her “ravishing assigned to supervise their work. logistical challenge of the 6.5-week become more of a technical camerawork demands attention. She It’s more nuanced than black- shoot was staging much of the film cinematographer. The kind of moves to capture brooding darkness and-white good guys and bad guys. on what had to look like deserted cinematography I’m interested and moments of intense light – her “I wanted the main character to go beaches. in requires a director gene.” camera illuminates the emotions and through development and see him “You make footsteps all the time

high drama on display,” wrote Screen fighting against the system. It’s not like in sand, and we had a team of 100 Director Martin Zandvliet Photo: Camilla Hjelm Knudsen International. FD he’s a hero, he could have done more.” people walking around. You can’t just

8 DANISH FILMS | Cannes Issue 2015 DANISH FILMS | Cannes Issue 2015 9 news & notes / danish films news & notes / danish films

had to make the 12-hour drive “As a producer, you have to be a between Reykjavik and Flateyri, and bulwark for the director. He has to back, when required. have the space to keep his creative WHAT DANES LIKE. Anders Thomas Jensen’s black comedy focus and in this kind of situation Men & Chicken was a big hit at the domestic box-office in the A Reed Bending in the Wind should be involved only as a last resort first quarter of 2015, surpassed only by Sam Taylor-Johnson’s The midnight sun hanging over the before the problem is solved,” says global blockbuster Fifty Shades of Grey. In the first three months former whaling station where the Jersin, who likens the job of producer of 2015, homegrown films sold 1,850,000 tickets at the box office –

shoot was located made it hard for to a reed bending in the wind. Norskov Photo: Adam Wallensten in comparison, Danish films had 3,350,000 admissions in all of the Danes to get a good night’s sleep. 2014. The national market share was 43% for the first quarter, with Producer Mikkel Jersin Photo: Julie Karla “It was like being at the end of the “It was like being at the end of a 38% share for American films. Find more stats on page 29 in the world. The sun never sets and after a the world. The sun never sets latest edition of Facts & Figures. while you get this jetlagged feeling, because even in a blacked-out room and after a while you get this you can hear birds singing and it jetlagged feeling, because even Top 10 / First Quarter 2015 feels like daytime around the clock,” in a blacked-out room you can Jersin says. hear birds singing.” # Film Genre Admissions Then Bardarbunga, a giant 1 Fifty Shades of Grey (us) Romantic drama 376,000 volcano, blew up. The biggest “Once the storm blows over, you volcanic eruption in Iceland in more straighten up again.” He plugged the 2 Men & Chicken (dk) Comedy 351,000 than 60 years, it threatened to hole in the financing and only then 3 All Inclusive (dk) Comedy 307,000 unleash an ash cloud like the one that did he cue in Rúnarsson. Jersin had rose from Iceland a few years ago learned how to fly Her upcoming small town police 4 My Canadian Adventure (dk) Family 302,000 and paralysed European air traffic drama series Norskov follows police 5 A Second Chance (dk) Drama 216,000 for weeks. Jersin was fielding calls Sparrows is Rúnar Rúnarsson’s Denmark’s officer Tom Noack who returns to from British agents fretting that the second feature, to open in 2015. The the industrial town he grew up in 6 Big Hero 6 (us) Animation 211,000 Croatian star Rade Serbedzija, who film is about a damaged father-son and left 20 years ago. Soon he is 7 People Get Eaten (dk) Drama 206,000 was being flown in from the set of relationship, about change and love, prime forced back into old relationships, Downton Abbey, would be stranded and takes place over a summer in and when he becomes involved 8 Taken 3 (us) Action 201,000 in Iceland. Serbedzija plays an elderly a remote, Icelandic fishing village with a drug investigation that comes export 9 American Sniper (us) Action 151,000 man at the fish factory who takes Ari where the sun never sets but stays close to his old friends and family, under his wings. low on the horizon. Ari, 16, is sent he has to decide what his tasks and 10 April 9th (dk) Historical drama 139,000 Moreover, Sparrows was shot on to live with his father in the isolated TV DRAMA. The Killing, Borgen responsibilities really are. The series 16mm film that had to be rushed western fjords of Iceland. They have and The Bridge made TV drama is directed by Louise Friedberg and to Stockholm to be developed and a difficult relationship, and Ari’s among Denmark’s hottest exports, produced by SF Film Production with flown back again, so Rúnarsson childhood friends have changed over and it hasn’t lost its momentum. support from the Danish Film Institute’s and his editor, Jacob Schulsinger, the years he was away. Rúnarsson’s funding programme for TV drama. could watch the footage. Jersin calls first feature, Volcano, was selected The recent MIPTV in Cannes Norskov screened at MIPTV in it “a logistical nightmare,” not least for Cannes’ Directors’ Fortnight 2011. dedicated a focus to Nordic TV, April and was sold to a number of

because the insurance policy only including a panel titled “The Hottest countries. The series was far from M&M Productions Artwork: At Nature’s Mercy covered the production if the raw Mikkel Jersin (born 1980) Drama from the Cold,” where national the only Danish series experiencing film got to the lab within 72 hours of graduated as a producer from the broadcaster DR’s Head of Fiction, Piv great sales. New titles like the family being exposed. National Film School of Denmark in Bernth, and creator of TV 2’s upcoming drama The Legacy, small time crook in Iceland Jersin wasn’t panicking yet, but 2011. Today at Nimbus film, Jersin TV drama Norskov, Dunja Gry Jensen, dramedy Broke and upcoming more unforeseen events were to is producing Rúnar Rúnarsson’s were asked to disclose the secret financial thriller Follow the Money come. Shortly before the shoot Sparrows and has several co- ingredients behind the success. also proved successful. NEW FILM. The shoot for Rúnar out of the nest and had to learn how was to start, the film’s funding was productions under his belt, including According to Bernth, it’s all about The drama series Rita, about a Rúnarsson’s upcoming feature to fly,” the 34-year-old producer says hit by wildly fluctuating exchange Dagur Kári’s , Pernilla spending more time on development controversial teacher, was sold to a Sparrows had more than its fair about the shoot set in and around the rates, costing the production a small August’s The Serious Game, and (since that’s much cheaper than number of countries in addition to share of trials and tribulations for hamlet of Flateyri on the northwest fortune. Jersin had quit smoking, but Joachim Trier’s Louder Than Bombs, production), bringing in new talents signing remake deals with France Nimbus Film’s Mikkel Jersin. The coast of Iceland. Sparrows is the story now he was lighting up again. starring Jesse Eisenberg, Gabriel and encouraging writers to think new. and the Netherlands. The series’ third Danish producer, who is also on of Ari, 16, from Reykjavik who is “I remember smoking a cigarette, Byrne and Isabelle Huppert and “Don’t look back at what we did – season was co-financed by . board Joachim Trier’s Cannes sent back to live with his father in thinking: Damn, this is bad!” But still selected for Cannes Competition smash Borgen and The Killing, and Danish TV drama concepts have a competitor Louder Than Bombs, the remote western fjords of Iceland. he didn’t say anything to his director. 2015. See more page 17. forget about it!” she said. strong track record for remakes. The shares his story from Iceland’s While Rúnarsson may be used to Dunja Gry Jensen said TV 2 has Killing, The Bridge, and Those Who Kill extreme nature. Icelandic conditions, it was another copied DR’s “One Vision” model have all been remade in the US, while story for Jersin and the other Danes. which gives the writer space and Jeuk, the Dutch version of the comedy By Marianne Lentz “Every film production has things freedom to unfold his or her vision. Danish Klown, premiered in 2014. FD go wrong, of course, but we were Driving rain and hail in the middle of continuously beset by all these summer. Fog so thick you couldn’t see dramatic events that were completely more than a few feet. Floods and off the charts for a Danish film crew. is the average age mudslides with giant boulders blocking I was amazed by how much you are Photo: Sophia Olsson Sparrows for cinemagoers in the roads. Even an erupting volcano. at nature’s mercy there.” 34,5 Denmark watching These are just a few of the calamities Summer in Iceland is brief and the that befell the production of Rúnar crew was there during the window local films – 29 for ’s success hasn’t stopped him from picking outré, Rúnarsson’s Sparrows in Iceland last when it’s just possible to shoot a film often unflattering roles. The Danish poster for Anders Thomas Jensen’s summer and tested producer Mikkel before autumn comes. Even so, the non-Danish fare Men & Chicken shows Mikkelsen as oddball Elias, flanked from left to Jersin’s ability to keep a cool head. fog was often so thick that planes right by Søren Malling, Nikolaj Lie Kaas, David Dencik and Nicolas Bro The film will open later in the year. between Reykjavik and the tiny airport as his four brothers. See profile of David Dencik on page 24. “I have made a lot of films, but this on the northwest coast were grounded. time it really felt like I was being pushed Instead, Jersin and other crew members

10 DANISH FILMS | Cannes Issue 2015 DANISH FILMS | Cannes Issue 2015 11 INTERVIEW / SOFIE NØRGAARD KAMPMARK / TSUNAMI INTERVIEW / SOFIE NØRGAARD KAMPMARK / TSUNAMI

Sofie Nørgaard Kampmark was living who were running around with their phones in Tokyo in 2011 when a cataclysmic trying to get the best shot. There’s no doubt in my mind who got the most out of that hanami, The Animation Workshop tidal wave hit Japan, inspiring her which means “looking at flowers” in Japanese. Images of to make her graduation film, the The Animation Workshop in Viborg has been a source of world-class For my film, I was very inspired by the Japanese animation for over 25 years. animated short Tsunami. director Yasujirô Ozu and his visual language with a lingering, low-placed camera that makes a lot of Here, students from all over the world are taught by professionals time for tiny nuances and room for reflection. I find from Pixar, Aardman and DreamWorks. The students’ films have been Loss and his depiction of everyday life in Japan very poetic. attracting wide attention in recent years at international animation I particularly love Late Autumn. festivals. In 2012, Slug Invasion, a comical short about a gang of murderous garden slugs waging war on an elderly lady, was selected “The sublime portrayal of a grieving man for Cannes. The same year, the school was represented in Annecy by Cinéfondation / Cannes in Tom Ford’s A Single Man was highly no less than three films, including the stop-motion short Seven Minutes Beauty in the Warsaw Ghetto, which later played at heaps of festivals. influential.” The school had further reason to be proud when Tomm Moore’s Song . Framegrab Hayao Miyazaki’s play on the contrasts between of the Sea was nominated for an Oscar this year. The Nørlum animation

Tsunami the magical and the ordinary was also an inspiration. studio, headed by Animation Workshop alumnus Frederik Villumsen, And the sublime portrayal of a grieving man in Tom animated about half of the film. There is certainly much to be happy Ford’s A Single Man was highly influential. Colin about, Animation Workshop general director Morten Thorning says. Firth’s character doesn’t say much about what’s going on inside of him, but the contrast to his “Since the school was established in 1988, animation has grown from surroundings and his interaction with the objects a niche art form into a key skill in the media world. The Animation around him says it all. Based on all these different Workshop has grown alongside the industry in Denmark, and our sources of inspiration, my team and I tried to create students today occupy important roles in the Danish and international something new and different that will hopefully animation worlds. Tracking that development has been, and remains, give the audience a stunning visual experience as amazing,” says Thorning, who has headed the school since its start in 1988. well as food for thought. Read more about this year’s seven graduation films and the Animation is a fantastic medium that gives you programmes available at the Animation Workshop at animwork.dk/en. nearly unlimited possibilities for telling stories. The only limit is your imagination. Animated films can create worlds and atmospheres without parallel.

I learned an awful lot from the Animation “The Animation Workshop is pretty much Workshop. Among the most important things, I the most exciting fountain of coolness should probably mention collaborating with others. It has been wild to see how much you can achieve I can think of right now.” when you put very different people with very Tomm Moore, Oscar-nominated animation director different skill sets together and make it all hum. of Song of the Sea and Secret of Kells Returning to his village As told to Martin Hjorth Frederiksen a huge eye-opener for me. A lot of Japanese culture is rooted in certain philosophical after a devastating tidal The Animation Workshop also taught me to wave, Haru discovers a The film is about a man who is grieving and thoughts that have been a big inspiration to Sea Spirit trapped in his appreciate my own creativity more and take better how he has to deal with his personal tragedy me ever since and that I’m working hard to house in Sofie Nørgaard care of it – not to take it for granted, and the Sofie Nørgaard Kampmark before he can get on with his life. The pace is incorporate into my own life. Kampmark’s Tsunami, importance of giving it the best conditions for thriving. her graduation film Director, CG generalist and slow, and I tried to create a melancholy visual from one of Denmark’s And I have gained a much better understanding of illustrator, born 1988. Graduated language with poetic and bittersweet notes but For one, I have a tendency to worry a lot most respected what it takes to make a film really good. I appreciate in Computer Graphic Arts for also magical and surreal elements. about the future. That often prevents me from animation schools. good films a lot more now. They are so hard to do! Character Animation from the enjoying things while they are going on. Now Animation Workshop in Viborg, Denmark, in January 2015. I was living in Tokyo in 2011, kicking off a I’m trying to generally be more in the moments If the right story and the right team come along, six-month stay in a city I had long wanted to try so that I experience them fully instead of I would love to make more films. And I’m looking Her graduation film, Tsunami, living in. There I experienced the earthquake and documenting and maybe Instagramming them forward to the premiere of Tsunami at Cannes. I can’t is selected for Cinéfondation, the tsunami at close hand. I met a man who had in an attempt to hold on. A picture is rarely as wait to see what the rest of the world thinks about it! • the Cannes Festival’s student film lost much of his family but said that the sea had wonderful as being in the moment. competition.

never been more beautiful than after the tsunami. Tsunami, Sofie Nørgaard Kampmark’s graduation film Director Sofie Nørgaard Kampmark Photo: Jonathan Puntervold I was impressed by how older Japanese from the Animation Workshop, has been selected for The way that the Japanese coped with their people admired the cherry blossoms falling Cinéfondation, the Cannes Film Festival’s student film grief was so impressive and beautiful. It was from the trees in contrast to the young people competition. For more information, see reverse section.

12 DANISH FILMS | Cannes Issue 2015 DANISH FILMS | Cannes Issue 2015 13 PRODUCER PROFILE / KATJA ADOMEIT PRODUCER PROFILE / KATJA ADOMEIT

as producer-assistant for Meta Louise Foldager, producer of Lars von Trier’s latterday movies, graduating to post-production coordinator then junior producer. “It’s all about In her spare time she cut her teeth producing short films, notably nurturing ongoing relationships with Borgman, whom she met in New Zealand, and Eborn finding non- from . Borgman’s Lars & Peter competed for the 2009 Short Film Palme d’Or at Cannes, and the following year his Berik won the Grand Prix Award in the festival’s Critics’ Week, and was nominated

traditional Producer Katja Adomeit Photo: Daniel Joseph Borgman for a European Film Award. Duly bolstered, Adomeit set up her own production company, Adomeit Film, in 2011, though she continues methods” to keep her office at Zentropa’s Filmbyen compound. “It’s home for me,” she says. She also freelances Katja Adomeit loves the creative side of producing for Philippe Bober’s intrepid production and sales and never tires of finding new ideas, new partnerships boutique Coproduction Office, running its Danish office. It was through that connection that she came and new production concepts to make films that to co-produce Östlund’s 2014 Cannes hit Force Majeure, really matter, whether they are made in New Zealand, overseeing its post-production in Copenhagen. South Dakota, Ukraine or Afghanistan. Looking for Lighter Ways of Producing Adomeit describes her mode of film producing as being “the wall” a director/screenwriter can lean on “whenever they need something, whatever that may By Nick Bradshaw be, from beginning to end.” She’s proud of all her productions: “When I’m producing I’m always like, Based in Copenhagen since 2006, German-born ‘This is amazing’. I guess I love the teamwork, joining producer Katja Adomeit has lately garnered attention together on something that we’re going to make no for her work on such co-productions as Ruben Östlund’s matter what. It’s us against the world, and with the Force Majeure, as well as distinctly independent world, and with financing from all over the world. productions of her own such as Daniel Joseph “My role is about writing lots of applications, Borgman’s The Weight of Elephants and Anna Eborn’s finding money and the crew, but also about creative Pine Ridge. Respectively a New Zealand-set drama Producer on the Move / Cannes input, finding new ideas and the right process of and a documentary about the Lakota reservation in development and production,” she continues. “I’m South Dakota, both films steer decidedly keen, fresh all about finding non-traditional methods that can Katja Adomeit courses through their material. be low-budget or cost-efficient while also forming a On the back of them Adomeit was named one of Producer, born in Germany. Moved to Denmark more creative environment. It’s looking for a lighter Screen International’s “Future Leaders” in 2013, and in 2006 to work for Zentropa. Graduated as a way that can also make the final product more she continues to forge productive relationships with producer in 2012 from the alternative Danish film creative and original. I hate sets full of make-up and new talents and find stories in locations all over school Super16. Set up Adomeit Film in 2011. lighting people and grips. It’s incredibly boring the world. Produced Daniel Joseph Borgman’s two short and not about making a new kind of film anymore.” films Lars & Peter (selected for Cannes 2009), Zentropa Paved the Way and Berik (recipient of the Grand Prix in Cannes’ Experimenting with the Directors After studies in Hamburg Katja Adomeit took up an Critics’ Week 2010), and his feature The Weight Her collaboration with Eborn on Pine Ridge illustrates internship in New Zealand in 2004. She later moved of Elephants (selected for Berlin 2013). the kind of fluid, experimental process and outcome back to Berlin – “but every time I move to Germany Other films include Anna Eborn’s Pine Ridge that she leans towards. The film emerged from I get ‘away sickness’,” she says. So she worked there (2013), selected for Venice and winner of Best another project they had been researching about a for six months while applying to every production Nordic Doc in Gothenburg, and Not at Home Lakota American who had married and moved to a company in the world that she could imagine working (2013), co-directed with Afghan Shahrbanoo small village in . for. The only one that answered was Zentropa. Sadat. Co-producer on Ruben Östlund’s Cannes The place he had left was South Dakota’s Pine Ridge hit Force Majeure (2014). “Peter Aalbæk Jensen, the studio’s co-founder, reservation, in one of the poorest counties in America, invited me for an interview and told me: ‘Learn Danish New projects are the feature Wolf and Sheep, and Adomeit sent Eborn and cinematographer Nadim and you’ll get a job’,” she remembers. “So a week developed at Cannes Cinéfondation and directed Carlsen off there to research it further. The result later I moved to Denmark and spent 13 hours a day by Shahrbanoo Sadat, Joseph Daniel Borgman’s “Peter Aalbæk Jensen invited me for an interview and is a multi-character prism on a corner of America learning the language and went back to him after feature Across the Fields, Anna Eborn’s documentary steeped, if not smothered, in a history of struggle Lida, Annika Berg’s feature Forever 13, Malene told me: ‘Learn Danish and you’ll get a job’. So a week three months to ask for the job.” Choi’s hybrid The Return, and, as co-producer, and strife, which premiered in Venice and won the That was 2006. She worked for the next year at Theresa Traore Dahlberg’s documentary Ouaga later I moved to Denmark and spent 13 hours a day ’s Dragon Award for Best Zentropa as Aalbæk Jensen’s personal assistant, then Girls and Anahita Ghazvinizadeh’s feature They. learning the language.” Nordic Documentary.

14 DANISH FILMS | Cannes Issue 2015 DANISH FILMS | Cannes Issue 2015 15 PRODUCER PROFILE / KATJA ADOMEIT WATCH OUT FOR / DANISH CO-PRODUCTIONS

This year’s Cannes contenders include two ACROSS BORDERS dramas co-produced by Danish partners.

Louder Than Bombs Cannes Competition Nimbus Film is on board Joachim Trier’s Norwegian-French-Danish co-production, a story of upheaval and reunion in a modern family. Across the Fields Photo: Catherine Pattinama Coleman Across “What makes Louder Than Bombs

so unique is Joachim Trier’s personal Bombs Than Photo: Jakob Ihre Louder Scandinavian imprint in an American context,” says Danish co-producer at Nimbus Film, Mikkel Jersin. “Joachim and Danish editor Olivier Bugge Coutté edited the film at Nimbus in Copenhagen, so I’ve been able to follow a large part of the creative process at closest range. In my opinion, it’s extremely beneficial for a film like this one that so many nationalities are working closely together to realize a shared vision,” says Jersin. Norwegian director Joachim Trier is bringing his third feature, Louder Reflecting Adomeit’s Pine Ridge was edited “in cinema,” in Adomeit’s stands in front of me with her shaved head, tells Than Bombs, to Cannes’ main “non-traditional” ways, words: “Anna does her own editing, so we sat there me this story, and I feel, I’ve just fallen in love with competition: An upcoming exhibition Across the Fields is a celebrating renowned photographer feature film with strong in the evenings at the edit suite in Zentropa, and this person and there’s no way she will make a film Isabelle Reed three years after her struggle to reconcile their feelings Eisenberg and Devin Druid. Editor Countries -France-Denmark documentary traits shot we could hook ourselves up to the cinema to watch without me for the rest of her life – seriously!” untimely death brings her eldest son about the wife and mother they Olivier Bugge Coutté also worked Director Joachim Trier on 16mm, with director what we’d edit. The film has these very small details Daniel Joseph Borgman back to the family home, forcing him remember so differently. with Joachim Trier on his two last Production Motlys (Norway) and herself on set as you can only experience on the big screen, so we’d “I guess I love the teamwork, joining to spend more time with his father The film is Joachim Trier’s first films, Reprise and Oslo, August Danish co-production Mikkel Jersin the only crew. watch in cinema, go back to the edit suite to edit together on something that we’re going and his withdrawn younger brother English-language film and was shot 31st. The Danish crew includes the and Bo Ehrhardt for Nimbus Film some more, go back to the cinema to watch, and so than he has in years. The father tries in New York and features Gabriel Copenhagen visual-effects shop Read about Mikkel Jersin’s upcoming to connect with his two sons, as they on. We didn’t need anyone else. It’s a completely to make no matter what.” Byrne, Isabelle Huppert, Jesse Ghost VFX. feature Sparrows on page 10. different way of working. Anna is really patient with her material – she sifts through all her interviews They co-directed the semi-fictional Not at Home again and again, which would be pretty difficult within eight months of that meeting – Sadat The Rams producer Grimar Jonsson, which has “What was really important to us It has certainly whetted our appetite with an editor, if you have 60 hours of material.” shooting amidst the different generations of a set the foundation for a hopefully was the fact that the director and to join new co-productions.” Profile Pictures, established in long and lasting partnership,” says producer were happy about our Using the title as a metaphor for Their next film, Lida, resumes the Russian theme family in Kabul, Adomeit in a refugee centre in 2011, is backing Icelandic director Ditte Milsted. She and Jacob Jarek choice of DoP Sturla Brandth two feuding brothers, Hákonarson’s with its portrait of a late Swedish woman in the Germany. Last year they crowdfunded Wolf and Grímur Hákornarson’s second film. of Profile Pictures are co-producing Grøvlen and lighting designer Aslak Icelandic-Danish drama is set in a Ukraine, one of the very last of an expat community Sheep, the first of five interlinked features Sadat Icelandic Grímur Hákornarson’s Lytthans. It means a lot to us as secluded valley in Iceland, where two deported by Catherine the Great. “She speaks Swedish has outlined for one continous character, which “We had a very close and forthright second feature, The Rams, selected a partner that we can contribute brothers live side by side, raising their as if it’s the year 1800,” as Adomeit says. With will shoot in her own central-Afghanistan village collaboration with the Icelandic for Un Certain Regard. powerful talent behind the camera. sheep and repeatedly winning awards for their rams of ancient pedigree. Borgman, she is producing Across the Fields, a this coming August. Having built a crowdfunding While they share the land and a way of “process-driven” experimental project about an community and recognising its potential for the Un Certain Regard life, they haven’t spoken to each other intellectually challenged 60-year-old woman who subsequent projects, Adomeit now has her doubts in 40 years. When a deadly disease lives with her mother – a real character for whom about this on-trend fundraising innovation, which infects one of the brothers’ sheep, they they did a casting search, and whom they’re asking turns out to add a weight of its own. are forced to come together. Ditte Milsted and Jacob Jarek to play scenes with a “fictional end-result.” “It was just the director, me and one-and-a-half founded Profile Pictures in 2011 with assistants working full-time for two months,” she Thor Sigurjonsson, executive producer Semi-fictional Stories from Kabul remembers. “Even so, every day you wake up and of The Rams. DoP Sturla Brandth The RamsThe Photo: Sturla Brandth Grøvlen Adomeit is equally excited about another collaboration, think: today I have to ask 200 people if they want Grøvlen, originally from Norway, with the young Afghan director Shahrbanoo Sadat, to give a small amount.” graduated with Milsted and Jarek from the National Film School of Denmark who in 2011 became the youngest ever inductee into Non-traditional but not so lightweight, it seems in 2011. Gaffer Aslak Lytthans has Cannes’ Cinéfondation Residency at the age of 21. to fail the Adomeit test – but you wouldn’t bet against worked in Danish films since 1990. They were teamed up the following year by CPH:LAB, her reformulating the rules of crowdfunding, too • the talent programme established by the CPH:DOX Countries Iceland-Denmark festival in Copenhagen. Sadat just shaved off her Katja Adomeit is selected as one of twenty emerging Director Grímur Hákonarson Production Netop Films (Iceland) hair in protest at the Afghan practice of rejecting European producers ready to network under the Producers Danish co-production Ditte Milsted brides for non-virginity: “She’s 1’50”, I’m 1’80”, she on the Move initiative during the Cannes Festival. and Jacob Jarek for Profile Pictures

16 DANISH FILMS | Cannes Issue 2015 DANISH FILMS | Cannes Issue 2015 17 SURVEY / LOW-BUDGET FILMMAKING SURVEY / LOW-BUDGET FILMMAKING Great Cinema on a Shoestring?

Danish filmmakers have an appetite for The Policy Maker The Producer The wHead of The Director Film School making films for little money, while a Jacob Jarek Michael Noer Claus Ladegaard Profile Pictures, Vinca Wiedemann Director of R (2010), new funding initiative shows the Danish Head of Film Funding producer of the Director of the National with Tobias Lindholm, at the Danish Film micro-budget film Film School of Denmark on a budget of EUR Film Institute’s appreciation for low-budget Institute Shelley, a psychological 750,000, and Key films as well. horror film directed by House Mirror (2015) Ali Abbasi, set for a on a budget of EUR 2015 release. 2.1m. The “low-budget” phenomenon is hardly new, but it’s getting increased attention at a The challenge in Denmark, broadly speaking, There can certainly be lots of energy in low- Quality isn’t dependent on price. Low budgets Directors will make films for anything. If there’s is that we have too little funding relative to the budget films. At least, a different kind of energy, in themselves don’t heighten quality. Anyone who a film I’m burning to do, I’ll make it no matter what. time when talent is plentiful, funding limited talent pool. We need more films if we are going as I hope you can tell in our film Shelley. An has ever made an amazing cucumber sandwich But as a director, of course you’re always interested to maintain diversity and high standards in the audacious energy. The low-budget films that knows that a cucumber sandwich can taste every in the best possible conditions for your film. So, I and technology more available than ever available range of films. Now that technology makes are currently being made all over the place can bit as amazing as oysters. They are two very don’t think anyone starts out wanting to do a low- before. FILM asked four film professionals it possible to make feature films for relatively little be seen as protest films of a kind – a protest by different dishes, and we can talk about quality in budget film. You do it to get your film made. money, we at the Danish Film Institute want to directors that they have to wait so long for major either case. We can also talk about the quality from different corners of the industry about support the concept of low-budget films, because funding, which is harder for new talent to secure. of the preparation, the ingredients and their It’s often said that the director should be that can lead to more films being made. “Let’s do it now, now’s the chance!” Small budgets combination. That’s also the case when you talk creative about a low budget. But the way I see it, their experiences and thoughts on producing offer a lot of creative freedom. That energy shows about films. the producer should be even more creative. I’ve films on tight budgets. Consequently, we have launched an initiative through in the films, if they turn out good. had the good fortune several times to see how the enabling filmmakers to apply for funding across Unlike before, when young people had to go to producer can be an amazingly aggressive sparring the existing schemes, that is, under both the more When you make a film on a small budget, you the Film School to start making films, today almost partner. artistic and the more commercial schemes. The have to make sure that the script is built on a low- everyone has made films before they get in. And support is aimed at films with a maximum budget budget idea. It has to be a quality in itself that the film the films are made without access to millions of An example of that kind of partnership was of either EUR 0.4m or EUR 0.8m. is small. The test is to ask yourself if the film would kroner. Broadly speaking, young people today don’t when Tobias Lindholm and I made our first feature, be better or worse if you added more locations and need the Film School or the Film Institute, because R, which had a budget of around 750,000 euros. The initiative is important because we can get more actors. If it would be worse, you may have a it’s so much easier now to access the technology We knew from the get-go that we wanted to make new talent started more quickly. Too many young low-budget idea. If it would be better, it may not be and make films without our help. That requires a a prison film, and René Ezra and Tomas Radoor of directors wait far too long before making their a low-budget idea but more of a reduced idea that redefinition of our roles as public institutions. Nordisk Film managed to get us access to a former feature-film debut. The initiative also aims at the you only want to do because you’re desperate. prison, an entire prison that was now abandoned – potential of playing around a bit with distribution At the Film School we should stimulate our and that was before we even had a finished script. forms, since these low-budget films have less Producing a low-budget filmisn’t business as students to have a broader range of expressions. That influenced the development of our story, which private money at stake than usual. Maybe they usual at all. On Shelley, we had a single location, If you only work on the market’s terms or make had to be executed at a single location. Again, that New Low-Budget Initiative won’t even be shown in theatres. Maybe they will which was extremely important to us. We had what you think is exciting in the here and now, was an aggressive, creative move by the producers. Starting in 2015, the Danish Film Institute (DFI) can support low-budget features on go to VOD, then TV, and then theatres. We can three actors and we had a short shooting period you run the risk of not testing yourself enough special conditions. Funding is granted through the three existing schemes for features play around with all kinds of new combinations that of just three weeks. It was like an intense outburst artistically. The Film School can help challenge For my latest film, Key House Mirror, my writer, – the talent scheme, the artistic scheme and the scheme for films with a broad appeal. account for the fact that people’s film-watching of energy. We stayed in a hostel near the location. young people’s ideas about themselves, get them Anders August, and I didn’t have much more than a habits are changing. We were together 24 hours a day. We brought out of their comfort zone, and help them refine story written on a napkin. That’s what we presented Application can be made for features with a maximum budget of either EUR 0.4m along a chef who cooked three meals a day, really and develop their expression in collaboration with to the actor Ghita Nørby. We knew that if we were or EUR 0.8m. Support can be granted to both new talents and established We also hope that low budgets will compel good food, and there was a good atmosphere of others. Then, maybe, they’ll make something that’s going to make a film about an elderly woman in filmmakers. A total of 12-24 low-budget films can be supported over the next filmmakers to make their films in new ways and being together. decidedly new and different. a nursing home, no one else but the uncrowned four years. The new initiative is characterised by three significant conditions: that that will generate new kinds of stories, new queen of the Danish stage and screen, Ghita forms of revenue and new production methods that As a producer you have to be involved already Today, there isn’t necessarily a lot of money Nørby, could carry it. So it was important to get • The DFI provides a higher rate of the total budget than the 30-40% of the will set a precedent. In other words, to produce in the development process. It’s not enough to just available for making good films. At the Film her on board right away. That was also an example usual subsidy share. For films of EUR 0.4m, up to 80% of the budget can be innovation also in terms of content and form. latch on during preproduction. You’re much more School, we are very conscious about relating to of a producer being creative. It’s about not always supported; for films of EUR 0.8m, up to 60%. of a jack-of-all-trades than on regular films. I was that reality. This takes a knowledge of what things having to do things in the usual order. We should • The films do not necessarily have to be theatrical releases but can be launched But the scheme should not be seen only as 100% part of the actual shoot. The economy has cost. Creating a clever production concept that be a little more aggressive in the way we approach via other platforms. an opportunity for first-time filmmakers. We want to be micro-managed and I have to help drive the is based on artistic choices becomes crucial to filmmaking. You’re forced to think about your idea • The development period must be short, which means that no more than three to invite filmmakers who already have one, two process forward and build up an atmosphere. the possibility of making a good film on the cheap. as doable, and that rubs off on the creative side. months may pass from the time the application is received by the DFI until a or maybe ten features on their résumé to work in The fun and inspiring thing about working on a decision on a possible first draft of the script is made. this fashion, too. We can tell from other countries A lot of these films are being madeall over tight budget is that it forces you to challenge your It’s great to make some tough decisions early that this type of micro- or low-budget scheme the world. It’s nothing new that way. I think the thinking habits as a filmmaker. We only have to go on to avoid middling compromises later on. And Similar subsidy schemes for low-budget films are found in a number of countries, also appeals to more experienced names who, Danish Film Institute’s new initiative may add back to the Dogme films to see the kind of great that takes strong involvement by a producer – and including Israel, England and Ireland. in between bigger projects, have found great something good by supporting the trend. It may films that can come out of that. Those films would for the director to know the value of money and to pleasure in making less expensive movies with give some freedom and provide an outlet for never have been made if they had had millions and have an effective production scheme for your story, a tight concept. creative energy in the industry. millions available, that’s for sure. whether you have a small or big budget.

18 DANISH FILMS | Cannes Issue 2015 DANISH FILMS | Cannes Issue 2015 19 SPECIAL / DOGME revisited SPECIAL / DOGME revisited

[1] Director Lars von Twenty years ago, Lars von Trier and Trier in 1995 showering Thomas Vinterberg wrote ten rules the audience at the Odéon Theatre with for filmmaking that would change red flyers. Danish cinema forever. FILM looks [3] The second Dogme The Idiots Photo: Jan Schut film was Lars von Trier’s back on the rescue action, the rules Framegrab Director Lars von Trier. The Idiots, where a group of young people and the reactions and follows the spend a summer of communal living and traces in Danish cinema today. experimentation in search of their “inner idiot.” By Freja Dam

The rescue action [1] Dogme #12 Italian for Beginners, Lone Scherfig, 2000 frequently are its practitioners drawn to subjects of On 20 March 1995, the 100th anniversary of the Dogme #18 Truly Human, Åke Sandgren, 2001 derangement, deprivation, and dysfunction.” world’s first film screening, Lars von Trier was invited Dogme #21 Kira’s Reason – A Love Story, – David Sterritt, Film Comment to speak at a conference about the future of cinema Ole Christian Madsen, 2001 at the Odéon Theatre in Paris. Von Trier usually hates Dogme #28 , , 2002 And then there was British film critic , such events, but this time, he had a purpose. When it Dogme #32 Old, New, Borrowed and Blue, who was thrown of the screening of The Idiots for was his turn to speak, he announced with deadpan: Natasha Arthy, 2003 shouting “Il est merde! Il est merde!” from the back “It seems to me that in the last 20 years, no, let’s Dogme #34 In Your Hands, Annette K. Olesen, 2004 of the auditorium. say 10 then, film has been rubbish. So my question was, what can we do about this? And I made some Among the non-Danish Dogme films are these: [4] Three directors little papers with words on it. It’s called !” Dogme #5 Lovers, Jean-Marc Barr, 1999, France The cheating feeling the effects of He threw a bunch of red flyers in the air and read: Dogme #6 Julien Donkey-Boy, Harmony Korine, 1999, US Dogme: Michael Noer, “DOGMA 95 is a collective of film directors founded in Dogme #19 Cabin Fever, Mona J. Hoel, 2000, Norway Both Lars von Trier and Thomas Vinterberg later Mads Matthiesen and Samanou Acheche Copenhagen in spring 1995. DOGMA 95 has the expressed confessed to having broken some of the Dogme Sahlstrøm. goal of countering ‘certain tendencies’ in the cinema today. + films from , , Italy, , rules. It was quite the media scandal when von DOGMA 95 is a rescue action!” After reading the Dogme , Belgium ... Trier’s producers Peter Aalbæk Jensen and Vibeke manifesto and the so-called Vow of Chastity, he left Windeløv admitted to having manipulated the final the podium, because, as he said, “I’m not allowed to print in post to make some scenes brighter. Von discuss anything; it’s a group consideration.” The reviews Trier was furious and demanded in a statement a Nguyen Kenneth recall of all prints and a reissue “controlled 100% by Photo: The Celebration and The Idiots premiered in me.” Which he didn’t get. “I plead guilty,” Aalbæk Competition in Cannes in 1998 to mixed reviews: Jensen told the International Herald Tribune. “I The rules [2] have been unfaithful to Lars. Otherwise, it would It only took Lars von Trier and Thomas Vinterberg “While Dogma 95 now looks mostly like a cheeky have been impossible to see what was happening.” 45 minutes to write the ten rules, all leading to let gimmick with a fast-expiring shelf life, it reflects Thomas Vinterberg issued this confession on the go of the superficial cosmetics and strip the film and understandable desire to strip cinema of its official Dogme 95 site: “I confess to having made one down to the basics. “I remember writing the rules ever-burgeoning capacity for fakery and illusion.” take with a black drape covering the window. This is not as really fun,” said Vinterberg in Jesper Jargil’s 2002 – Godfrey Cheshire, Variety only the addition of property, but must also be regarded documentary The Purified.”The psychological system as a kind of lighting arrangement ... I confess to having was to ask, ‘What do we always use?’ and then ban it.” “The Celebration and von Trier’s Idiots are the first knowledge of a pay rise that served as cover for the Theodor Synnestvedt

[2] A red flyer like the ones thrown Von Trier and Vinterberg signed the so-called Vow two – and may be the last two – films shot in this purchase of Thomas Bo Larsen’s suit for use in the film Photo: across the Odéon Theatre announcing the ten rules in Dogme’s “Vow of of Chastity on 13 March, 1995. Later, Søren Kragh- style. It would be tiresome if enforced in the long … I confess that Christian’s mobile or cellular phone Chastity.” Jacobsen and Kristian Levring joined. The four were run, but the style does work for this film.” was not his own. But it was present on the location.” known as the Dogme Brothers. – Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

“Whether von Trier is a prankster or a visionary is The Next Generation [4] open to debate, but The Idiots – which he wrote in The films [3] Meta Film four days – is a disturbing, provocative film that What did Dogme 95 mean to your approach to filmmaking? 35 Dogme films were registered before the Dogme at the very least provides further proof he is a true Photo: dogme Brothers set the certificate free in 2005. 10 were Danish: original playing strictly by his own rules.” Michael Noer, director (R, Northwest, Key House Mirror) Dogme #1 The Celebration, Thomas Vinterberg, 1998 – David Rooney, Variety “For me, Dogme was a revelation. I saw The Idiots and Dogme #2 The Idiots, Lars von Trier, 1998 The Celebration when I went to high school, and it was Dogme #3 Mifune, Søren Kragh-Jacobsen, 1999 “The Idiots provides more evidence that Dogma 95 the first time I experienced people spontaneously revisited Dogme #4 The King Is Alive, Kristian Levring, 2000 could as easily have been called Disability 101, so applauding in the cinema. The films found drama in 20 DANISH FILMS | Cannes Issue 2015 DANISH FILMS | Cannes Issue 2015 21 SPECIAL / DOGME revisited SPECIAL / DOGME revisited NBC Hannibal Photo: NBC Banshee Photo: Cinemax Open Hearts Photo: Rolf Konow The CelebrationThe Photo: Lars Høgsted House of Cards Photo: David Giesbrecht/Netflix Per Arnesen Story Photo: Per Reason – A Love Kira’s

[5] Ulrich Thomsen in realism – a feeling I’m not afraid to admit I’ve over- Ulrich Thomsen [5] Nikolaj Lie Kaas [7] Lars Mikkelsen [9] [9] Lars Mikkelsen in The Celebration (1998) Kira’s Reason – A Love and Banshee (2015). exploited since. Reality rules, as Tobias Lindholm The role as the despairing Christian in Thomas Nikolaj Lie Kaas was only 17 when he made his feature Performing as the emotionally constrained husband Story (2001) and House and I put it in the creation of our feature debut, R. Vinterberg’s The Celebration from 1998 is still one debut in Søren Kragh-Jacobsen’s The Boys from St. Petri of the manic-depressive Kira in Ole Christian of Cards (2015). [6] Mads Mikkelsen I’m still searching for the extremely dramatic in the of Ulrich Thomsen’s most notable performances in 1991. Lie Kaas landed his first Dogme role in 1998 Madsen’s Dogme film Kira’s Reason – A Love in Open Hearts (2002) ultra-realistic. The fact that rules generate emotions on the silver screen. The following years, Thomsen in Lars von Trier’s The Idiots, and he continued in 2001 Story from 2001 was Lars Mikkelsen’s first big and Hannibal (2014). is evident from both game shows and World War II.” played in a string of international productions – the in Åke Sandgren’s Truly Human, providing him with cinematic role. Playing numerous parts in film James Bond film The World is Not Enough, Kathryn his first leading role. In 2002, he appeared in Susanne and television and on stage since then, Mikkelsen Mads Matthiesen, director (Teddy Bear, The Model) Bigelow’s The Weight of Water, Chen Kaige’s Killing Me Bier’s Dogme film Open Hearts where he plays across was on board the first season of The Killing, and in “The Dogme movement’s desire to simplify film Softly, and Tom Tykwer’s The International, to name Mads Mikkelsen and Sonja Richter. Over the years, 2014 he embodied the new villain to test Benedict production and get closer to the story and the acting a few. Thomsen is currently to be seen in Cinemax’ Lie Kaas has become a household name in Danish Cumberbatch’s detective in series three of BBC’s is one thing I’ve felt very inspired by in my work. Not Banshee, now in its third season, as the intimidating film and TV and has been cast in supporting roles in Sherlock. Last year, Mikkelsen was also to be seen in to let the technical aspects of the film production businessman Kai Proctor, and later this year, he international productions such as Ron Howard’s Angels Danish Cannes contestant When Animals Dream by gain the upper hand, but remember to let the story reunites with Thomas Vinterberg, featuring in & Demons, Larysa Kondracki’s The Whistleblower and, first-time feature director Jonas Alexander Arnby. and the actors in front of the camera come first. I Vinterberg’s The Commune about the ‘70s ideals of out this year, Daniel Espinosa’s Child 44. Lie Kaas is Currently he is starring in the European crime series was a teenager 20 years ago, and it was incredibly love and relationships. currently shooting for his third venture as detective co-production The Team and in Netflix’ third season inspiring to see Danish films create so much Carl Mørck in Hans Petter Moland’s and Zentropa’s of House of Cards. international attention. It made me believe in my Mads Mikkelsen [6] A Conspiracy of Faith. dreams of directing and get out in the world, even if Mads Mikkelsen’s breakthrough role as a mouthy, Sidse Babett Knudsen [10] you came from a small film nation like Denmark.” small-time drug dealer in ’s Sofie Gråbøl [8] Making her Dogme debut in Natasha Arthy’s Pusher (1996) contrasts sharply with his performance One could hardly call Sofie Gråbøl inexperienced comedy drama Old, New, Borrowed and Blue from Samanou Acheche Sahlstrøm, director (In Your as the amiable Niels in Susanne Bier’s Dogme film when she appeared in Søren Kragh-Jacobsen’s 2003, Sidse Babett Knudsen subsequently showed Arms) “I rely on Dogme’s idea of freedom. At film Open Hearts from 2002. Mikkelsen was nominated Dogme film Mifune in 1999, winner of a Berlin Silver her talent as both comedic and dramatical actress. school, we learned certain aesthetic rules of film- at the Danish Robert Awards for his portrayal of a Bear. At the time Gråbøl had already featured in Her comic timing is apparent in Take the Trash and making. Dogme made it clear that while you should responsible doctor and family man who gives in to more than a dozen films. But the part as Claire in Almost Perfect, while she takes on a more serious know these rules, other rules can be just as productive. the attraction of a young women, Cecilie, played Mifune opened the door to more comedic film roles. role in Susanne Bier’s After the Wedding. Playing For me, it highlighted the importance of establishing by Sonja Richter. Today, Mikkelsen is busy with his Subsequently Gråbøl had parts in numerous Danish Denmark’s first female prime minister in Borgen a framework for my story that made a production international career, his most recent appearance features and TV series, most notably as Sarah Lund has opened even more doors for Sidse Babett [7] Nikolaj Lie Kaas possible within a given financial situation.” being in NBC’s Hannibal as Dr. Lecter, but Mikkelsen in The Killing crime series which paved the way for Knudsen, who took the lead in Peter Strickland’s in Truly Human (2001) and Angels & Demons has also found time to act in such a diverse crop her international career. In 2014, she went on stage 2014 The Duke of Burgundy and is set to feature (2009). The actors of Danish films as Thomas Vinterberg’s drama The as Margaret of Denmark, queen of James III of in three international productions over the next [10] Sidse Babett Hunt, Kristian Levring’s western The Salvation, and Scotland, in The James Plays at the National Theatre in years – Tom Tykwer’s A Hologram for the King, Knudsen in Old, New, Borrowed and Blue [8] Sofie Gråbøl in The Dogme wave launched the careers of several Anders Thomas Jensen’s 2015 black comedy Men & London, and is currently to be seen in the British TV Christian Vincent’s L’hermine, and the Dan Brown Mifune (1999) and (2003) and The Duke of Fortitude (2015). Danish actors: Chicken, see page 11. series Fortitude. adaptation Inferno. Burgundy (2014). Mifune . Framegrab Jens Juncker KnudsenPhoto: Jens Juncker Per Arnesen Human Photo: Per Truly Angels & Demons Photo: Columbia Pictures Fortitude Photo: Amanda Searle/Sky Atlantic The Duke of BurgundyThe Photo: Pioneer Pictures Old, New, Borrowed ... Old, New,

22 DANISH FILMS | Cannes Issue 2015 DANISH FILMS | Cannes Issue 2015 23 ACTOR PROFILE / DAVID DENCIK actor PROFILE / DAVID DENCIK

David Dencik Selected Films

Tordenskiold (2015) Doing a Lot Photo: Rolf Konow Henrik Ruben Genz Regression (2015) Photo: Christian Geisnæs Alejandro Amenábar Kidnapping Mr. Heineken (2015) with a Little Daniel Alfredson Men & Chicken (2015) Anders Thomas Jensen Serena (2014) DAVID DENCIK Susanne Bier The Absent One (2014) Mikkel Nørgaard Speed Walking (2014) ACTOR Niels Arden Oplev The Homesman (2014) Tommy Lee Jones Hotel (2013) By Morten Piil Outside Love (2007) Brotherhood (2009) A Royal Affair (2012) The prototype of an all-round character actor Dencik followed up his success Jimmy, a violent neo-Nazi, could hardly Nikolaj Arcel in with another leading be a less attractive character. But Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011) with an international career, David Dencik role, this time as a young dreamer Dencik endows him with a humanity struggling to break free from his that makes it credible that he would Brotherhood (2009) in recent years has worked with stars like Orthodox Jewish community. After fall in love with a more gifted member, Nicolo Donato Tommy Lee Jones and Gary Oldman. Always the death of his wife, he roams Lars (Thure Lindhardt), of their neo- The Early Years – Erik Nietzsche around rudderlessly with his five- Nazi, all-male gang, as a new world Part 1 (2007) unpredictable, the 40-year-old Danish actor year-old son in tow, hoping to save of tenderness and desire opens up for Jacob Thuesen enough money for a trip to New York. the closeted Jimmy. Dencik with great Outside Love (2007) has grown by leaps and bounds over the last Challenged by a bright Pakistani refinement plays a rough man in this Daniel Espinosa decade, playing over 60 different roles in films woman, beautifully played by Louise empathic drama by Nicolo Donato. A Soap (2006) Hart, Dencik turns many of the Pernille Fischer Christensen and on television. Never failing to capture us scenes in her modest convenience Men & Chicken (2015) with his inscrutable but eloquent dark gaze, store into minor miracles of liveliness Rarely one to represent normality, and humour. The film was written by Dencik makes an exception as Gabriel, Dencik can be understated and subtle where Dencik’s brother, author and director the most reasonable of five half brothers Daniel Dencik, and directed by in Anders Thomas Jensen’s grotesque others feel they have to raise their voice. Chilean-Swedish Daniel Espinosa dramedy, this spring’s biggest Danish Photo: Clinton Gaughran He is a master of doing a lot with a little. (Easy Money). Photo: Christian Geisnæs box-office hit. A thoughtful academic trying to track down his biological father, Gabriel ends up in the company of his four violent half brothers at a picturesquely ramshackle, secluded sanatorium. There, he discovers a secret that makes him feel a growing A Soap (2006) sense of solidarity with his comical Dencik got his breakthrough in loser brothers. Starting out cool, a leading role as a transsexual, Dencik’s performance exquisitely Veronica, in Pernille Fischer builds to final warm engagement. Christensen’s subtle, two-character chamber piece, which won both The Absent One (2014) A Royal Affair (2012) the Silver Bear and the award for Photo: Erik Molberg Hansen Dencik has played villains before, Dencik can be chillingly convincing best debut feature at the Berlin in Tommy Lee Jones’ western The as diabolically calculating characters. Film Festival in 2006. Bit by bit, Homesman

and Susanne Bier’s In Nikolaj Arcel’s period love story, Photo: Jirí Hanzl the reserved Veronica builds up a melodrama Serena. But he likely he plays Ove Høegh-Guldberg, a relationship to her equally fragile never unleashed evil more potently statesman at the end of the 18th upstairs neighbour, an attractive but or relentlessly than in this second century who pulls the strings so emotionally confused single woman adaptation from a Jussi Adler- masterfully that the film’s hero, played by Trine Dyrholm. With deep, Olsen crime novel produced by Struensee (Mads Mikkelsen), the king’s brown-eyed melancholy, Dencik Zentropa. As a tycoon scrambling progressive physician, is eventually makes Veronica a believably wistful with increasing desperation to cover brought down and beheaded. character, maintaining a paradoxical up the murderous sins of his youth, Struensee, the short-lived, de-facto dignity and poetic aura in the most Dencik is ruthless, smart as a whip head of state, stands for enlightenment humiliating situations. The film, which and utterly without scruples. Directed and rationalism, while Høegh- was put together during a long by Mikkel Nørgaard, the film was Guldberg represents reactionary period of improvisations by Dencik the biggest box-office attraction at nationalism in collusion with the and Dyrholm, earned them both a Danish cinemas in 2014. church, and Dencik gives him an air Robert award. of smouldering fanaticism.

24 DANISH FILMS | Cannes Issue 2015 DANISH FILMS | Cannes Issue 2015 25 / Nicolas Winding Refn

Elle Fanning bathed in orange and magenta sets the tone for Nicolas Winding Refn’s upcoming film about the mesmerizing, vicious beauty of the L.A. fashion world. Currently in production, The Neon Demon is a horror tale about an aspiring model Jesse (Elle Fanning) who moves to Los Angeles and soon attracts the attention of a group of women who are dangerously obsessed with her youth and vitality and will do anything to be like her.

Fanning is joined by Karl Glusman, Jena Malone, Bella Heathcote, Abbey Lee, Christina Hendricks, and Keanu Reeves on the all-American cast of this co-production between Denmark (Lene Børglum for Space Rocket Nation) and France (Wild Bunch and Gaumont). Release in 2016.

The Neon Demon Photo: Gunther Campine WATCH OUT FOR / DANISH DOCUMENTARy films

Three new documentary films each follow an TRUE STORIES individual on a mission. normal and too normal to accept his five years in Afghanistan, threats and danish fate. Taking action, Jacob puts on a play the general conditions are making to once and for all set things straight. it increasingly difficult for her to go Tracking Jacob, Christian Sønderby on. Motley made great sacrifices to Jepsen confronts our idea of what’s get where she is. Her three children, “normal,” asking the ultimate question: aged five, eight and sixteen, live in Does someone like Jacob have the North Carolina and she sees them right to live? We follow Jacob as only two-three months a year.

Shadow of a Hero Photo: Fridthjof Film film institute the play comes together, from the Initially, Motley’s decision to gathering of empirical evidence from become a defence attorney in doctors, scientists and philosophers Afghanistan was financially motivated. to the performance at Denmark’s But gradually the underdeveloped National Theatre, and bear witness Afghan justice system, the absence to the sometimes painful experiences of women’s rights and the ubiquitous Jacob has along the way. corruption stoked her desire to fight “Jacob is constantly banging his for justice in the country. But time is Facts & head against the wall as he encounters running out. No one knows what’s in Shadow of a Hero the world,” Sønderby Jepsen says. store for the Afghans once the last “In a split second he’s judged and international forces are pulled out. Laurits Munch-Petersen goes pigeonholed. But the more you get to “Kimberley is an incredibly multi- all out to find the truth about know him, the more his physical faceted person.This complex image his grandfather who died in the disability falls away and a genuine, of a woman was what attracted Spanish Civil War. intelligent young man with fighting me. How do you live your life in two figures spirit and humour emerges. I want to such different worlds – between a Gustaf Munch-Petersen, a poet and show the audience this transformation.” warzone and family life?” director Denmark’s first true Surrealist painter, in Jacob Nossell, a journalist and Nicole N. Horanyi says.

1937 abandoned his pregnant wife and Natural Disorder Photo: Anders Ladegaard comedian, is known for his leading role With Motley as her guide, Horanyi one-year-old daughter without warning in Mads Brügger’s Sundance winner was gradually introduced to the to join the International Brigades in the The Red Chapel, a documentary Afghan court system, a maze of Production Spanish Civil War. When he was killed satire about the world’s worst Kafkaesque proportions. “I was four months later, just 26 years old, dictatorship in North Korea. Sønderby consumed by understanding this he became an icon of the civil war “Having made two genre features with Jepsen has garnered attention for complex scenario of three different volunteers and one of the great young all the expectations and demands that films such as The Will and Blood Ties. legal systems existing side by side dead of Danish literature. But for his entails, I needed to work more freely Produced by Moving Documentary, – that is, the formal judicial system, family it was an entirely different story. – like when I used to film with my first release 7 October. local laws and Sharia law. I was deeply And Exhibition “My grandfather’s death cast a Super8 camera before film school.” impressed by how Kimberley navigated shadow on my family that is three The director won an Oscar, a Motley’s Law all three systems and how she handled generations long,” Laurits Munch- Student Academy Award, for his this completely male-dominated milieu. Petersen says. “When I decided graduation film Between Us and has Nicole N. Horanyi tracks the That takes equal parts respect and to make a film about him, I quickly directed the two fiction features Over audacious American attorney audacity, and she was master of it.” realised that my grandmother held the the Edge and Ambulance. Kimberley Motley and her work Horanyi has directed The Devilles key to his story. She made him a taboo Produced by Fridthjof Film, in the Afghan justice system. and Au Pair, which screened at a after he vanished. Later, she disowned release 3 June. number of international festivals. 2015 my mother and she has wanted nothing A former Miss Wisconsin, Kimberley Produced by Made in Copenhagen, to do with me, either. My film has Natural Disorder Motley, 38, is the only foreign, and set for an autumn release. become a very personal documentary the only female, lawyer licensed to about finding the truth about your Christian Sønderby Jepsen and litigate in Afghan courts. But after See catalogue in reverse section. family – and preventing the shadow his protagonist, a comedian with from falling on the next generation.” cerebral palsy, compel us to reflect In the film, Munch-Petersen travels on identity and the meaning of life. from his grandmother’s home and What projects were supported in 2014? continues in his grandfather’s foot- Recent advances in medicine are steps to the red mountains near Ebro, bringing us closer to manufacturing the Which film was the biggest box-office draw? Spain, where his grandfather fell in genetically perfect human existence. Motley’s Law . Framegrab How are film funds prioritised at the Danish Film Institute? 1938. With him on his journey he took A life without disabilities. A normal life. Anders Østergaard (1989, Burma VJ), Jacob Nossell, 24, though whip- who co-wrote the film’s script. smart, hardly fits into the concept “Together we arrived at a narrative of a “normal” life. Because he has In the following pages we offer data about production style where we mix all conceivable cerebral palsy, his movement and and distribution in Denmark in 2014 along with the genres, formats, times and dreams – speech are noticeably challenged. Danish Film Institute’s budget for 2015. entirely in my grandfather’s surrealist With his intellect intact in an unwieldy spirit,” Munch-Petersen says. But the body, Jacob embodies the strangling film is also another kind of journey, limitations of the concept of normalcy: Find more statistics, figures and facts about Danish back to the director’s filmic roots. he is too disabled to be accepted as films at dfi.dk/facts.

28 DANISH FILMS | Cannes Issue 2015 Facts & figures 2015 / danish film institute Facts & figures 2015 / danish film institute 2014 in DFI BUDGET 2015 DFI Budget, 2015 DFI Subsidies, 2015

DFI Subsidies DKK (1000s) EUR (1000s) Cross Media Productions, Cinema Subsidies, Feature Films Subsidies Children & Youth Activities, Script and Development 17,500 2,351 Other Subsidies 8% numbers Commissioners scheme: Production 78,900 10,599 Market scheme: Production 58,000 7,79 2 Digital Games 3% Co-production scheme: Production 12,000 1,612 Regional scheme: Production 6,000 806 International scheme: Production 4,000 537 New Danish Promotion and Marketing subsidies 17,950 2,411 Screen 8% Distribution subsidies 1,100 148 Festival subsidies, Denmark and abroad 7,500 1,008 5.6M Inhabitants in Denmark Total Feature Films Subsidies 202,950 27,264 Reimbursements -2,000 -269 21 Feature films supported for production Danish Film Institute Public Service Feature Films Short & Documentary Films Subsidies Fund 11% Subsidies 54% Commissioners scheme: Script and Development 12,100 1,625 The Danish Film Institute (DFI) supports the 29 Shorts and documentaries supported for production Commissioners scheme: Production 31,300 4,205 development, production and distribution of Danish Regional scheme: Production 500 67 films and also offers funding for international co- Miscellaneous 2,600 349 7 Intl. co-production features supported for production productions. Festival subsidies, Denmark and abroad 5,350 719 Promotion and Marketing subsidies 4,500 605 Short & Documentary Filmcentralen.dk, film purchase 1,400 188 Films Subsidies 15% EUR 3.4M Average production budget for a Danish feature film Support programmes extend to digital games, film Total Short & Documentary Films Subsidies 57,750 7,75 8 education and promotion at international film festivals. 25 percent of all subsidies are earmarked for children Public Service Fund 42,500 5,709 31% Average subsidy allocation to a Danish feature film and youth films. New Danish Screen 32,000 4,299

32 Danish feature film releases Situated in central Copenhagen, the DFI houses the Digital Games 12,500 1,679 DFI Operating Costs, 2015 national Cinematheque and also includes a library, a Cross Media Productions 1,000 134 Cinemas stills & posters archive and a film studio where children Board, CEO 158 and young people can explore the craft of filmmaking. and staff functions 8% Cinema Subsidies Filmhouse Cinema screens Restoration, art cinemas, etc. 3,300 443 416 The DFI manages the film archives and runs a streaming Digitisation 1,700 228 (cinemas, archives, website for Danish short and documentary films at Total Cinema Subsidies 5,000 672 adminsitration, etc.) 31% Cinema seats filmcentralen.dk. 58,000 Children & Youth Activities 3,100 416 Film support 23% EUR 8.7 Average ticket price (excl. VAT) Other Subsidies Workshops, in-house and outside 6,350 853 Eurimages and Nordisk Film & TV Fond 8,900 1,196 12.2M Total admissions Other 8,950 979 Total Other Subsidies 24,200 3,028

3.3M Tickets sold to Danish films Total DFI Subsidies 379,000 50,690 Children & Youth and Media Council 5% 2.2 Tickets sold per capita DFI Operating Costs

National market share Board, CEO and staff functions 9,830 1,321 Other (property, 27% Film support 28,130 3,779 IT systems, etc.) 32% Children & Youth and Media Council 6,563 882 Filmhouse (cinemas, archives, administration, etc.) 36,896 4,956 100% Share of cinemas with at least one digital screen Other (property, IT systems, etc.) 38,582 5,183

Total DFI Operating Costs 120,000 16,120

Total DFI Budget, 2015 499,000 66,810

An exchange rate of 7.44 was used to convert Danish kroner to euros.

Please note: The information contained in these pages is subject to change. Percentages may not total 100 due to rounding.

30 DANISH FILMS | Cannes Issue 2015 DANISH FILMS | Cannes Issue 2015 31 Facts & figures 2015 / danish film institute Facts & figures 2015 / danish film institute

DANISH ThEATRICAL RELEASES distribution & the cinema sector

Danish Theatrical Film Releases, 2014 / sorted by release date Top 20 / Theatrical Film Releases, 2014

Title Release Domestic Director Domestic Children/ DFI Total # Title Director Release Date Admissions Country Date Production Distributor Youth Subsidy Admissions (1000s) Company Type (year-end 2014) 1 The Absent One ** Mikkel Nørgaard 02.10.14 764 DK 2 The Reunion 2 – The Funeral Mikkel Serup 06.02.14 605 DK Feature Films 3 The Hobbit – The Battle of the Five Armies ** Peter Jackson 10.12.14 485 US The Reunion 2 – The Funeral 06.02.14 Nordisk Film Mikkel Serup Nordisk Film Market 604,561 4 The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 ** Francis Lawrence 19.11.14 310 US Father of Four 06.02.14 ASA Film Giacomo Campeotto Nordisk Film x Market 287,324 5 How to Train Your Dragon 2 Dean DeBlois 03.07.14 306 US The Cartel 27.02.14 Nordisk Film Charlotte Sachs Bostrup Nordisk Film Market 127,407 6 Frozen * Chris Buck, Jennifer Lee 25.12.13 302 US The Sunfish 06.03.14 Film Maker Søren Balle SF Film New Danish Screen 35,988 7 Father of Four Giacomo Campeotto 06.02.14 287 DK The Detectives 10.04.14 Wise Guy Productions, Esben Tønnesen SF Film x Marketing support 33,274 8 Speed Walking Niels Arden Oplev 28.08.14 251 DK Movie Rights 9 The Wolf of Wall Street Martin Scorsese 09.01.14 246 US Someone You Love 24.04.14 Zentropa Pernille Fischer Christensen Nordisk Film Commissioner 167,237 10 ** Bille August 13.11.14 237 DK Flow 08.05.14 Beofilm Fenar Ahmad UIP x New Danish Screen 33,254 11 Crumbs – All at Stake Barbara Topsøe-Rothenborg 02.10.14 225 DK The Salvation 22.05.14 Zentropa Kristian Levring Nordisk Film Commissioner 54,421 12 Interstellar ** Christopher Nolan 06.11.14 225 US Kolbøttefabrikken (Danish title) 29.05.14 Fridthjof Film Morten Boesdal Halvorsen UIP Marketing support 26,926 13 The Lego Movie Phil Lord, Christopher Miller 06.02.14 217 US The Miracle 05.06.14 Zentropa Simon Staho SF Film Commissioner 742 14 12 Years a Slave Steve McQueen 20.02.14 199 US Mini and the Mozzies 12.06.14 Dansk Tegnefilm Jannik Hastrup, Nordisk Film x Market 25,070 15 Rio 2 Carlos Saldanha 10.04.14 197 US Flemming Quist Møller 16 Gone Girl ** David Fincher 23.10.14 188 US When Animals Dream 12.06.14 Alphaville Pictures Jonas Alexander Arnby Nordisk Film x Commissioner 3,661 17 22 Jump Street Phil Lord, Christopher Miller 19.06.14 185 US Copenhagen 18 Dumb and Dumber To ** Bobby Farrelly, Peter Farrelly 27.11.14 181 US On the Edge 26.06.14 Zentropa Christian E. Christiansen Nordisk Film x Market 35,893 19 Guardians of the Galaxy James Gunn 31.07.14 181 US In Real Life 07.08.14 Beofilm, Bebopfilm, Jonas Elmer SF Film Commissioner 1,139 20 Someone You Love Pernille Fischer Christensen 24.04.14 167 DK Sebasto Film & TV Speed Walking 28.08.14 Nordisk Film Niels Arden Oplev Nordisk Film Commissioner 250,681 Source: Danish Film Distributors Association (FAFID). Threesome 11.09.14 c.bjerrefilmproduktion Claus Bjerre UIP Commissioner 3,743 * Released in 2013. Nymphomaniac Director's Cut 11.09.14 Zentropa Lars von Trier Nordisk Film Commissioner 3,494 ** Films still playing in 2015. The Absent One 02.10.14 Zentropa Mikkel Nørgaard Nordisk Film Market 764,002 Crumbs – All at Stake 02.10.14 Regner Grasten Film Barbara Topsøe-Rothenborg UIP x Market 225,399 Danny's Doomsday 09.10.14 Miso Film Martin Barnewitz SF Film x Commissioner 26,645 Encounters 30.10.14 The Kompany Entertainment Anders Johannes Bukh The Kompany Marketing support 461 Entertainment Silent Heart 13.11.14 SF Film Production Bille August SF Film Market 236,818 Top 20 / Documentaries with DFI Support Shown on National Broadcasters DR and TV 2, 2014 Familien Jul (Danish title) 20.11.14 Pixy Film Carsten Rudolf Angel Films x Marketing support 159,017 All Inclusive 25.12.14 Happy Ending Film Hella Joof SF Film Market 104,635 # Title Director Number of Viewers Original Number of Antboy – Revenge of the Red Fury 25.12.14 Nimbus Film Ask Hasselbalch SF Film x Market 43,055 (1000s) Release Year Broadcasts Documentary Films 1 Skyggebørn (Danish title) Louise Jappe 489 2014 1 The Arms Drop 04.06.14 Fridthjof Film Andreas Koefoed DOXBIO Commissioner 1,493 2 Svend Anne Regitze Wivel 422 2011 2 My Life Directed By 17.07.14 Space Rocket Nation Liv Corfixen Scanbox None 478 3 Slottet (Danish title) Eva Mulvad 420 2014 2 Nicolas Winding Refn 4 The Arms Drop Andreas Koefoed 350 2014 5 Good Things Await 03.09.14 Danish Documentary Phie Ambo DOXBIO Commissioner 9,321 5 The Bailiff Phie Ambo 346 2013 2 Production 6 Warriors from the North Søren Steen Jespersen, Nasib Farah 324 2014 2 The Newsroom – Off the Record 01.10.14 Danish Documentary Mikala Krogh DOXBIO Commissioner 9,295 7 The Will Christian Sønderby Jepsen 253 2013 3 Production 8 Palme Kristina Lindström, Maud Nycander 234 2012 6 1989 05.11.14 Magic Hour Films Anders Østergaard DOXBIO Commissioner 1,559 9 Mobbet (Danish title) Dorthe Thirstrup, Kristian Almblad 227 2014 4 The Look of Silence 13.11.14 Final Cut for Real Joshua Oppenheimer Camera Film Commissioner 2,159 10 Naked Nicole N. Horanyi 222 2014 2 The Circus Dynasty 19.11.14 Hansen & Pedersen Film Anders Riis-Hansen DOXBIO Commissioner 1,586 11 Dreaming of a Family Mira Jargil 168 2014 3 og Fjernsyn 12 Gasolin' Anders Østergaard 168 2007 1 13 The Invisible Cell Anders Riis-Hansen 167 2009 2 14 Homeless Ditte Haarløv Johnsen 137 2010 5 Minor Co-productions, Feature Films 15 Vote for Change Christoffer Guldbrandsen 124 2009 3 Waltz for Monica 20.03.14 Eyeworks Fine & Mellow SF Film Minor co-production 159,415 16 Wild Girls Tine Katinka Jensen, Mette Carla T. Albrechtsen 122 2013 1 Beyond Beyond 10.04.14 Copenhagen Bombay Esben Toft Jacobsen Copenhagen Minor co-production 12,108 17 1989 Anders Østergaard, Erzsébet Rácz 120 2014 3 Bombay 18 Drone Tonje Hessen Schei 119 2014 2 We Are the Best! 29.05.14 Zentropa SF Film Minor co-production 328 19 Me and Dad – No Expectations of Applause Kathrine Ravn Kruse 103 2014 2 In Order of Disappearance 03.07.14 Zentropa Hans Petter Moland Miracle Film Minor co-production 9,327 20 Embracing the Dead Nanna Frank Møller 101 2014 2 Ida 27.11.14 Phoenix Film Investments Pawel Pawlikowski Camera Film Minor co-production 39,203 Force Majeure 11.12.14 Coproduction Office Ruben Östlund Øst for Para- Minor co-production 40,412 Source: TNS Galup Infosys. dis

Minor Co-productions, Documentary Films Sume – The Sound of a Revolution 18.10.14 Bullitt Film Inuk Silis Høegh MICHAU+ Minor co-production 1,412

Source: Danish Film Distributors Association (FAFID).

32 DANISH FILMS | Cannes Issue 2015 DANISH FILMS | Cannes Issue 2015 33 Facts & figures 2015 / danish film institute Facts & figures 2015 / danish film institute distribution & the cinema sector feature fiction / supports

Largest European Domestic Market Shares, 2014 Feature Fiction Films Supported for Production by DFI, 2014

44 % Title Domestic Director Budget DFI Subsidy DK Public DK Intl. Children/ Production Euro Euro Service Regional Co-pro­­- Youth Company (1000s) (1000s) Television Funding duction

Commissioner Scheme 28% 28 % 27 % A War Nordisk Film Tobias Lindholm 3,562 1,156 x Aldrig mere jul (Danish title) Copenhagen Bombay Rights Jacob Ley 1,801 1,169 x x Backstabbing for Beginners Creative Alliance Per Fly 7,245 968 x DK/CDN 14% Walk with Me Asta Film Lisa Ohlin 3,185 1,116 x x DK/SE Fang Rung SF Film Max Kestner 2,836 1,156 x DK/SE/FI Gold Coast Haslund/Dencik Entertainment Daniel Dencik 1,801 981 x DK/SE Land of Mine Nordisk Film Martin P. Zandvliet 4,368 1,116 x (x) DK/DE Sparrows Nimbus Film Runar Runarsson 1,465 457 x DK/IS The Commune Zentropa Thomas Vinterberg 4,503 1,035 x DK/NL/SE France Italy Finland Denmark EU average The Neon Demon IWWTD Nicolas Winding Refn 5,981 1,008 x DK/FI Tordenskiold Nimbus Film Henrik Ruben Genz 4,798 1,263 x DK/CZ/NO/SE Source: Provisional numbers from European Audiovisual Observatory. Market Scheme Crumbs – All at Stake Regner Grasten filmrettigheder Barbara Rothenborg 1,720 444 x x Emma and Santa Claus Deluca film Søren Frellesen 2,728 995 x x x – The Quest for the Elf Queen's Heart Father of Four – On a Wild Holiday Asa Film Giacomo Campeotto 2,366 672 x (x) x Market Shares in Danish Cinemas, 2008-2014 A Conspiracy of Faith Zentropa Hans Petter Moland 4,973 995 x DK/DE The Day Will Come Zentropa Jesper W. Nielsen 3,159 941 x x DK/SE Other Europe (excl. Denmark) Denmark USA Iqbal Farooq Miso Film Tilde Harkamp 2,352 941 x x x Klown Forever Nutmeg Movies Mikkel Nørgaard 3,669 538 x Min søsters børn og guldgraverne Obel Film Canada Niels Nørløv 3,548 941 x x 60 59 (Danish title) 56 55 People Get Eaten Clausen Film Erik Clausen 2,366 860 x 52 50 51 Summer of ‘92 Danmark 92 Kasper Barfoed 3,374 914 x DK/SE

Minor Co-productions Louder Than Bombs Nimbus Film Joachim Trier 8,401 202 x NO/FR/DK 32 30 28 27 29 27 Pontus Halmstrøms efterladenskaber Nordisk Film Jannicke Systad Jacobsen 2,258 148 x NO/DK 22 (Danish title) * 17 19 Quit Staring at my Plate Beofilm Hana Jusic 1,089 175 x HR/DK 14 15 15 Rose Marie og gartnerens hemmelighed Nimbus Film Sara Johnsen 3,629 202 x NO/DK 13 11 (Danish title) 5 1 3 1 1 2 3 The Giant Beofilm Johannes Nyholm 2,285 242 x SE/DK The Nile Hilton Incident Final Cut for Real Tarik Saleh 4,919 282 x SE/DE/DK The Rams Profile Pictures Grímur Hákonarson 1,129 134 IS/FR/DK 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 Source: Danish Film Institute. Source: Statistics Denmark and, for 2014, Danish Film Distributors Association (FAFID). (x) = The film has recieved regional funding from the Danish Film Institute. * Production support to Pontus Halmstrøms efterladenskaber was cancelled in 2015.

Admissions in Danish Cinemas, 2008-2014

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

Total admissions to all releases (million) 13.2 14.1 13.0 12.4 13.6 12.9 12.2 Total admissions to Danish releases (million) 4.3 2.4 2.9 3.4 3.9 3.9 3.3 Danish national market share (%) 32% 17% 22% 27% 29% 30% 27% Danish share of all film releases (%) 16% 15% 15% 13% 13% 14% 13% Average admissions to Danish releases 122,143 76,063 87,333 101,909 129,933 125,290 115,333 Average admissions to all releases 63,069 67,530 54,912 47,725 58,999 52,018 53,255

Source: Statistics Denmark and, for 2014, Danish Film Distributors Association (FAFID). DFI Production Subsidy Types

Commissioner Scheme supports films with unique cinematic ambitions New Danish Screen supports films that push the boundaries of cinema – films that are artistically innovative and challenge their audiences. The – films that strengthen talent development and experimentation. The scheme supports features, documentaries and shorts. scheme supports fiction, documentaries, series and trans-media.

Market Scheme supports films with broad audience appeal – films that Minor Co-production Scheme supports international films that have fascinate because they tell a popular story or cultivate a familiar genre. Danish production participation – films that strengthen international The scheme supports features. partnerships and creative exchange. The scheme supports features, documentaries and shorts.

34 DANISH FILMS | Cannes Issue 2015 DANISH FILMS | Cannes Issue 2015 35 Facts & figures 2015 / danish film institute Facts & figures 2015 / danish film institute docs, shorts, New Danish screen / supports OVERVIEW OF SUPPORTS 2008-2014

Documentaries, Short Films and New Danish Screen Films Supported for Production by DFI, 2014 Number of Feature Fiction Films Supported for Production by DFI, Majors and Minors, 2008-2014

Title Domestic Director Budget DFI ­ DK Public Series Intl. Children/ Commisioner scheme (incl. Råfilm) Market scheme (former 60/40) Minor Co-productions Production Euro Subsidy Service Co-pro- Youth Company (1000s) Euro ­Television duction (1000s) 23 22 21 Documentary Films 20 19 19 Amateurs in Space Danish Documentary Production Max Kestner 562 242 x 18 Anton Klassefilm Iben Haahr Andersen 276 175 x 10 8 Between Two Worlds Upfront Films Janus Metz 841 353 x 6 10 9 Christiansborg Slotscirkus (Danish title) Tiny Film Karsten Mungo Madsen 108 78 x x 9 Cold Case Hammarskjöld Electric Parc Mads Brügger 1,237 280 x DK/SE/NO 10 Det han gjorde (Danish title) House of Real Jonas Poher Rasmussen 350 208 x 9 9 Diallo's Odysse Kamoli Films & Spor Media Helle Toft Jensen 236 145 x Hjemmeplejen (Danish title) Moving Documentary Mira Jargil, Christian Sønderby Jepsen 619 223 x x 7 7 6 6 6 14 Jakob Ejersbo christianbonke.com Christian Bonke 290 193 x 13 13 11 10 11 Jeg rejser mig (Danish title) Sonntag Pictures Christina Rosendahl 366 142 x 8 Klassekabalen (Danish title) Plus Pictures Ulla Søe 382 215 x x x Learning to Forget Good Company Pictures Kaspar Astrup Schröder 337 223 x Massakren i Dvor (Danish title) Final Cut for Real Georg Larsen, Kasper Vedsmand 374 101 x Natural Disorder Moving Documentary Christian Sønderby Jepsen 633 215 x DK/NL/NO 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 Olmo & the Seagull Zentropa Lea Glob, Petra Costa 372 94 DK/BR/PT Skyggebørn (Danish title) Gong Media Louise Jappe 277 94 x x Something Better to Come Danish Documentary Production Hanna Polak 542 228 x DK/PL Songs from the Soil Viola-Lucia Film Phie Ambo 83 81 The Allins Toolbox Film Sami Saif 367 229 x The Fencing Champion Final Cut for Real Simon Lereng Wilmont 175 124 x x Venus House of Real Lea Glob, Mette Carla T. Albrechtsen 690 288 x DK/NO Financial Structure of Feature Fiction Films Supported for Production by DFI, 2008-2014

Short Films / Commissioner Scheme 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 Lili Dansk Tegnefilm Siri Melchior 448 242 x x x Linselus (Danish title) Made in Valby Jesper Rofeldt 674 239 x x x 100% Danish finance 8 11 16 16 12 13 10 Min lille hund Mester – Katteballade Toolbox Film Maria Mac Dalland 168 116 x x Major co-productions 11 9 7 3 6 9 11 (Danish title) Minor co-productions 6 6 7 6 9 9 7 Ordapoteket (Danish title) Basmati Film Johan Oettinger 522 188 x All Productions 25 26 30 25 27 31 28 Lukas & the Aspies Profile Pictures Anders Gustafsson 199 171 x x Tre Tosser (Danish title) Wil Film Snobar Avani, Peter Hausner 52 46 x Uro (Danish title) Profile Pictures Jacob Tschernia 216 190 x x Vitello Zentropa Dorte Bengtson 209 126 x x

New Danish Screen Talent Scheme A Short Life Creative Alliance Janus Metz 36 36 x Number of New Danish Screen Films Supported for Production by DFI, 2008-2014 Bad Standing Profile Pictures Jesper Vidkær Rasmussen 357 327 x x Children of the Day M&M Productions Amir Rezazadeh 35 35 x x Echoes of Ronin First Tribe Films Shaky Gonzales 35 35 x 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 Future Road Good Company Pictures Ulrik Ehrhorn Gutt-Nielsen 172 172 x Interruption Nordisk Film Malou Reymann 438 437 x All Productions 26 19 14 12 12 10 22 Murdering Katarina Filmberg Kim Lysgaard Andersen 481 437 x Nordic Factory * Pebble Nordic Factory 344 155 x DK/FI Nordic Factory – Listen Pebble Nordic Factory Hamy Ramezan, Rungano Nyuni Nordic Factory – Sundays Pebble Nordic Factory Kræsten Kusk, Natalia Garagiola Nordic Factory – The Girl and the Dogs Pebble Nordic Factory Selma Vilhunen, Guillaume Mainguet x Nordic Factory – Void Pebble Nordic Factory Milad Alami, Aygul Bakanova Nylon Electric Parc Jeanette Nordahl 293 292 x x Number of Documentaries and Shorts Supported for Production by DFI, 2008-2014 Outskirt Strangers Larm Film Anita Hopland, Rania Tawfik 292 284 x Parents Nordisk Film Christian Tafdrup 860 726 x 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 Reconstructing Dad Electric Parc Sven Vinge 202 202 x Restless Fago Film Asger Krøjer Kallesøe 294 292 x All Productions 37 31 46 40 32 38 35 Say Something, Pierrot! Friishaynes Maja Friis 345 313 x Seven Boats Masterplan Pictures Hlynur Palmarsson 35 35 x Source: Danish Film Institute. Shelley Profile Pictures Ali Abbasi 348 323 x DK/SE The Mechanics Meta Film Rights Masar Joudi Ajil Sohail, Sonja Rendtorff 36 36 x The Reward – Tales of Alethrion Sun Creature Studio Mikkel Mainz Elkjær 225 148 x x x Wolf and Sheep Adomeit Film Shahrbanoo Sadat 847 134 x DK/FR/NE x

Documentary Films, Minor Co-productions Blood Sisters Final Cut for Real Malin Andersson 570 54 x SE/DK x Intercourse Made in Copenhagen Pratibha Parmar 894 67 x UK/DK Monalisa Story Magic Hour Films Jessica Nettelbladt 466 65 x SE/DK Shadow World Final Cut for Real Johan Grimonprez 1,426 73 x US/DK The Yes Men Are Revolting Chili Film Jacques Servin, Igor Vamos 794 67 x US/DK Twisters Final Cut for Real Hanna Hailborn 130 35 x SE/DK x Source: Danish Film Institute. * The Nordic Factory project includes four films:Listen , Sundays, The Girl and the Dogs, and Void. dfi.dk/facts

36 DANISH FILMS | Cannes Issue 2015 DANISH FILMS | Cannes Issue 2015 37 Catalogue Catalogue documentary films & Short Films short Films

”If we lived in Paradise, we would no longer need Genre / Documentary 9-year old Valdemar lives with his father Bo in a Genre / Children and Youth hope.” Harmonia lives a happy life in North Korea, country house in the province. They have a friendly – Short fiction but her reality cracks as she learns the truths Danish Release / 09.02.2015 relationship, but Bo is suffering from alcohol she never wanted to know. In the end, she faces Running time / 19 min. problems, and Valdemar must therefore often be Danish Release / 2015 a choice of living in a broken paradise of lies and Director / Vibeke Bryld the adult one and take responsibility for himself. Running time / 37 min. deception or treading the unknown, lonely path Producer / Heidi Elise Christensen When Valdemar one day suspects the nurse Ulla Director / Tobias Gundorff Boesen of the real world outside. Nothing is free, and Production company & for wanting to force him away from Bo, he starts Appearances / Søren Malling, Pelle the struggle to become a whole human being is International sales / Final Cut an imaginary battle to defend the farm and to stay Falk Krusbæk, Trine Appel inhuman. Pebbles at Your Door is a film about a for Real with Bo. This makes Bo to re-evaluate himself and Producer / Anders Wøldike woman from the North Korean elite, who faces the / t +45 3543 6043 deceive the only thing he loves in the world, his Production company / Zentropa reality of her once beloved childhood paradise and / [email protected] son, to give him a childhood before it is too late. Stormtroopers the impossible task of healing a life that has been / www.final-cut.dk International sales / Zentropa torn from birth. Planes in the Night is director Tobias Gundorff / t +45 3686 8788 Boesen’s fourth short fiction film. Pebbles at Your Door was selected for the Short Film Competition at the Berlinale 2015. Director of Pebbles at Your Door Bedtime Stories from the Axis of Evil (2011), which also Planes in the Night focuses on North Korea. Former editor in Chief of / Pebbles at Your Door DOX, the European Documentary Magazine. / Flyvere i natten

A man sets out to discover how the death of his Genre / Documentary Haru, a middleaged Japanese man, returns to his Genre / Short Fiction – Animation grandfather in the Spanish Civil War could split up destroyed home after a tsunami in complete denial. the entire family for three generations. Was this Danish Release / 03.06.2015 Trapped inside his home, he discovers a Spirit of Danish Release / 2015 ancestor really the hero that he grew up hearing Running time / 90 min. the Sea. After initially ignoring it, he soon discovers Running time / 7 min. so much about, or rather a traitor as his elusive Director / Laurits Munch-Petersen that the creature is drying out and dying. Haru Director / Sofie Nørgaard Kampmark grandmother claims one night after a whole life Appearances / Laurits Munch- realises he is facing a choice. Should he remain in Producer / Anja Perl, Michelle in silence? On a journey from Copenhagen via Petersen, Ruth Brejnholm, Alan Warren, denial, pretending nothing has changed, or should Nardone the small, rocky island of Bornholm to the red Ole Sohn he accept his tragic loss and forgive the creature Production company & mountains of Ebro in Spain, the grandson, Laurits, Producer / Miriam Nørgaard that took everything from him? International sales / The Animation who’s the director of this film, tries to excavate the Production company & Workshop layers of myth and memory in order to bring back International sales / Fridthjof Film Tsunami is Sofie Nørgaard Kampmark’s graduation / t +45 8755 4900 together his family in the shadow of the Spanish / t +45 3618 0880 film from The Animation Workshop in Viborg. / [email protected] Civil War. But does there even exist a red line / [email protected] Cinéfondation / Cannes 2015 / www.animwork.dk through this erratic family of artists? The film is a / www.f-film.com modern genre mix of documentary, reenactments Shadow of a Hero and archive material. Tsunami Laurits Munch-Petersen has directed several short / Skyggen af en helt fiction films and the two feature fiction films / Tsunami Ambulance (2005) and Over the Edge (2012). His graduation film, Between Us (2003), received 13 international awards including an Academy Award (Student Oscar).

12-year-old Lukas is, in many ways, a normal kid. Genre / Short fiction - Youth Can you catch a friend in a trap? Vitello is bored, Genre / Children and Youth He plays in a punk band, hangs out with his friends he has no one to play with. His mother tells him – Animation and fights with his kid brother. But Lukas also has Danish Release / 2015 to go outside and look for a new friend. He meets Asperger’s Syndrome and therefore has his own set Running time / 25 min. the Brat, who comes up with the idea to dig a hole Danish Release / 2015 of problems. Director / Anders Gustafsson in the cycle path in order to catch a new friend for Running time / 7 min. Appearances / Karl Oskar Meyer, Erik Vitello. The two boys are digging and struggleing Director / Dorte Bengtson As proven by Soccer Boy (2001, selected for IDFA), Schmidt, Jan Meyer, Regitze Estrup when something unexpected happens. Producer / Charlotte Pedersen Little Miss Grown-Up (2008, Best Documentary at Producer / Jacob Jarek Production company / Zentropa Copenhagen’s Buster festival) and Scratch (2003, Production company & Dorte Bengtson’s graduation film, The Sylpphid, International sales / TrustNordisk selected for Berlin), Anders Gustafsson has a International sales / Profile Pictures premiered at Cannes’ Cinéfondation in 2009. / t +45 3686 8788 special talent for working with children. / t +45 2873 2680 / [email protected] / [email protected] / www.trustnordisk.com / www.profilepictures.dk Lukas & The Aspies Vitello digs a hole / Lukas & The Aspies / Vitello graver et hul

18 DANISH FILMS | Cannes Issue 2015 DANISH FILMS | Cannes Issue 2015 19 Catalogue Catalogue Feature Films & Documentary Films documentary Films

Company commander Claus Michael Pedersen and Genre / Drama 38-year-old Kimberley Motley left her husband and Genre / Documentary his men are stationed in Helmand, Afghanistan. three kids in the US in order to work as a defence Meanwhile back in Denmark, with a husband Status / Completed lawyer in Kabul, Afghanistan. She is the only Danish Release / 2015 at war and three children missing their father, Danish Release / 27.08.2015 foreign lawyer, not to mention the only woman, Running time / 84 min. everyday life is a struggle for Claus’ wife Maria. Running time / 90 min. who has a license to work in Afghan courts. With Director / Nicole N. Horanyi During a routine mission, the soldiers are caught Director / Tobias Lindholm her Afghan assistant, Kimberley defends Western Appearances / Kimberley Motley, in heavy Taliban crossfire. In order to save his men, Appearances / Pilou Asbæk, and Afghan clients accused of criminal actions. Claudiare Motley Claus makes a decision that ultimately sees him Tuva Novotny, Søren Malling, To begin with, Kimberley came to Afghanistan for Producer / Helle Faber return to Denmark accused of a war crime. Charlotte Munck the money. But then it became about something Production company / Made in Producer / René Ezra, Tomas Radoor else; Kimberley – who had never before left the US Copenhagen In the director’s third feature, Tobias Lindholm Production company / Nordisk Film – saw how poorly the legal system in Afghanistan International sales / LevelK reunites with actors Pilou Asbæk and Søren Malling International sales / Studiocanal was run and how this part of the Afghan society / t +45 4844 3072 from , a critical hit at Venice and Toronto. / t +33 1 71 35 35 35 had been totally neglected by the international / [email protected] Lindholm has written several episodes for the community. For five years now, human rights cases / www.levelk.dk international hit series Borgen (2009-13). Co-writer and troubled expats have motivated her to stay, but with Thomas Vinterberg on the director’s two latest personal threats, and the general condition in the A War films, Submarino (2010, Berlinale Competition) and Motley’s Law country, makes it harder and harder for Kimberly Cannes winner The Hunt (2013), and upcoming The to continue her work. / Krigen Commune (2015). Made his directorial debut with R, / Motley’s Law co-directed with Michael Noer. Among Variety’s 10 Nicole N. Horanyi previously directed The Devilles Directors to Watch in 2013. (2009) and Au Pair (2011), which screened at a number of international festivals.

The setting is a residential street in the idyllic town Genre / Horror 24-year-old Jacob Nossell is really bright, but he Genre / Documentary of Sorgenfri. Our focus is on a family of four. Their does not fit the typical idea of a dream child or daily life changes abruptly, when a deadly virus Status / Post-production the perfect life. Jacob suffers from cerebral palsy, Danish Release / 07.10.2015 afflicts the town. Now, it is about survival of the Danish Release / 08.10.2015 a congenital physical disability. In addition to Running time / 90 min. fittest, and the question is whether the family is Running time / 90 min. affecting his speech, it causes muscle cramps and Director / Christian Sønderby Jepsen strong enough as a group to make it through the Director / Bo Mikkelsen stiffness. His words run together when he speaks Appearances / Jacob Nossell crisis. Appearances / Mille Dinesen, and his movements are limited. With a normal Producer / Malene Flindt Pedersen, Troels Lyby, Benjamin Engell, Marie intellect in a weakened body Jacob Nossell is the Sidsel Lønvig Siersted First feature film by Bo Mikkelsen. Hammer Boda embodiment of the dilemma of normality – he is Production company & Producer / Sara Namer too disabled to be truly accepted by society and International sales / Moving Production company / Meta Film too normal to accept his own fate. Therefore Jacob Documentary International sales / Indiesales has decided to stage a performance at the Royal / t +45 2849 9717 Feature Debut / www.indiesales.eu Danish Theatre (Human Phase-out), and put matters / [email protected] straight once and for all. He will do away with / www.movingdoc.dk normality as defined by the majority.

What We Become Natural Disorder Christian Sønderby Jepsen was widely praised for his last two feature-length documentaries, The Will / Sorgenfri / Naturens uorden (2011) and Blood Ties (2013).

The fearless Colombian philosopher-politician- Genre / Documentary For the past 10 years, Olivia, has been an actress of Genre / Documentary teacher Antanas Mockus and his followers struggle the famous company, “Theatre du Soleil,” where for peace in a country with the longest running Danish Release / 2015 she also met her companion in life, Serge. We Danish Release / 2015 internal conflict in the world. This is a story about Running time / 104 min. follow Olivia’s thoughts and imagination during Running time / 87 min. four years and a life time that changed a country. Director / Andreas Møl Dalsgaard the last 6 months of her pregnancy, in which she Director / Lea Glob, Petra Costa And how learning to lose patiently might make you Appearances / Antanas Mockus, feels to become transformed from being woman Appearances / Olivia Corsini, win. Katherin Miranda and artist into being a mother. Serge Nicolai Producer / Signe Byrge Sørensen, Producer / Charlotte Pedersen, Afghan Muscles (2007), Dalsgaard’s debut as a Anne Köhncke Petra Costa and Lea Glob won the Nordic Dox Luís Urbano, Tiago Pavan documentary director, was a festival hit, winning Production company / Final Cut for Award for Olmo and the Seagull at CPH:DOX in 2014, Production company / Zentropa, Best Documentary at AFI Los Angeles and Open Real where Lea Glob also received the Reel Talent Award. O Som e a Fúria, Busca Vida Filmes, Eyes Award at Rome MedFilm Festival. Cities on International sales / Spor Media Costa’s Elena screened at IDFA and HotDocs and Épicentre Films Speed – Bogotá Change (2009), which also portrayed / t +45 3536 0940 won awards at numerous Brazilian festivals. Glob International sales / Busca Vida Antanas Mockus, was selected for IDFA’s Reflecting / [email protected] received a Gold Panda Award for Students for Most Filmes / t +55 11 2373 7488 Images: Panorama. The Human Scale (2012) screened / www.spormedia.dk Innovative Documentary for her graduation film / [email protected] at a number of festivals, including Hot Docs and Meeting My Father Kasper Top Hat at the Sichuan TV Life is Sacred Chicago. Olmo and The Seagull Festival in China. / Life is Sacred / Olmo and The Seagull

16 DANISH FILMS | Cannes Issue 2015 DANISH FILMS | Cannes Issue 2015 17 Catalogue Catalogue Feature Films Feature Films

Three generations of a family gather over a Genre / Drama In 1992, the Danish national football team had Genre / Drama weekend. The two sisters Sanne and Heidi have failed to qualify for the European Championship in accepted their terminally ill mother’s desire to Status / Released Sweden. The players were already on holiday when Status / Post-production die before her disease worsens. However, as the Danish Release / 13.11.2014 they were called up in their summer residences Danish Release / 10.09.2015 weekend progresses, their mother’s decision Running time / 98 min. with a surprising message: Yugoslavia was Running time / 110 min. becomes harder and harder to deal with, and old Director / Bille August disqualified because of the war, and the Danes were Director / Kasper Barfoed conflicts resurface. Appearances / Ghita Nørby, Paprika set to replace them. The rest is history: Denmark Appearances / Ulrich Thomsen, Steen, Danica Curcic, Morten Grunwald went on to surprise the experts and upset the odds Allan Hyde, Mikkel Boe Følsgaard, August made his first Danish-produced film in 25 Producer / Jesper Morthorst by winning the tournament, beating the reigning Cyron Melville years with Marie Krøyer (2012). With Silent Heart, the Production company / SF Film European and World Champions in the process. Producer / Nina Bisgaard, Meta Louise director is returning to the human drama of his Production Foldager, Kris Thykier Palme d’Or, Golden Globe and Oscar winner Pelle the International sales / LevelK Starring Ulrich Thomsen (The Celebration, In a Better Production company / PeaPie, Conqueror (1987) and his Bergman-scripted The Best / t +45 4844 3072 World) and two previous Shooting Stars, Mikkel Meta Film Intentions (1991) which also won an Oscar. / [email protected] Boe Følsgaard (A Royal Affair) and Cyron Melville International sales / HanWay Films / www.levelk.dk (Nymphomaniac). / t +44 0 207 290 0750 Silent Heart Summer of ‘92 / www.hanwayfilms.com / Stille hjerte / Sommeren ‘92

The story follows Ari, 16, who lives with his mother Genre / Drama The Great Northern War is over, and Vice Admiral Genre / Historical drama in Reykjavik. When she goes abroad to start a new Tordenskiold, star of the victorious Danish- job, Ari is forced to move back with his father in Status / Completed Norwegian fleet, has no clue what to do with his Status / Post-production the desolate Westfjords far from the city. There Danish Release / 2016 life. His valet, Kold, persuades him to go on a Danish Release / 28.01.2016 he has to navigate a difficult relationship with his Running time / 99 min. vacation arguing that now is the time to marry Running time / 90 min. father, and he finds his childhood friends changed, Director / Rúnar Rúnarsson and settle down. The trip turns into a fun and Director / Henrik Ruben Genz especially Laura, whom he falls in love with. Appearances / Atli Óskar Fjalarsson, freewheeling road movie through Denmark. Appearances / Jakob Oftebro, Ingvar Eggert Sigurðsson, Kristbjörg Women swoon at the sight of the attractive young Martin Buch, Natalie Madueño, Rúnar Rúnarsson has scored international Kjeld, Rakel Björk Björnsdóttir man. He is a 1720s version of a modern day rock Kenneth M. Christensen honours for his three short films: Last Farm, Producer / Mikkel Jersin, Rúnar star. Gradually, clouds start to darken, and in Producer / Lars Bredo Rahbek Oscar-nominated in 2006, 2 Birds, nominated for a Rúnarsson Hannover, the increasingly alarmed Tordenskiold Production company & Palme d’Or in 2008, and his graduation film Anna, Production company / Nimbus Film is forced into a suspicious duel by former Swedish International sales / Nimbus Film Second Feature chosen for Directors’ Fortnight in 2009. Volcano, International sales / Versatile Films archenemies seemingly bent on revenge. / t +45 3634 0910 Rúnarsson’s feature film debut, was selected for / +33 1 7621 6166 / [email protected] Cannes’ Directors’ Fortnight in 2011. / [email protected] (2008) won the Grand Prix at Karlovy / www.nimbusfilm.dk / www.versatile-films.com Vary and swept up a remarkable seven honours Sparrows Tordenskiold at the Danish Robert Awards, including award for Best Film. Tordenskiold is Genz’ sixth feature film. / Sparrows / Tordenskiold Leading actor Jakob Oftebro was Norway’s Shooting Star in 2014.

In a quirky, small town, situated in the outskirts Genre / Drama Deployed on mission in Helmand, Afghanistan, Genre / Drama of everything, 14-year-old Martin is getting ready 25-year old Thomas steps on a landmine and loses for one of the most formal transitions from boy Status / Released both his legs. At the local rehabilitation center Status / Post-production to man; the communion. Its 1976, music is in the Danish Release / 28.08.2014 he meets Sofie, an ascending ballerina from the Danish Release / 2016 air, and hormones are blossoming. However, in the Running time / 108 min. Royal Danish Ballet who is helping a relative Running time / 100 min. midst of it all, Martin’s mother suddenly passes Director / Niels Arden Oplev regain strength after a long-term sickness. Thomas Director / Lisa Ohlin away and her tragic death triggers a series of events Appearances / Villads Bøye, Frederik desperately wants to get back into the field and Appearances / Mikkel Boe Følsgaard, that not only changes Martin’s life forever, but also Winther Rasmussen, Kraka Donslund feels a growing impatience as he fails to progress as Cecilie Lassen, Karen-Lise Mynster, affects everyone else in the local community. Nielsen, Anders W. Berthelsen fast as he would like. When Sofie offers to help him Morten Holst Producer / Thomas Heinesen with a more intense rehabilitation plan, he accepts. Producer / Per Holst By director Niels Arden Oplev. His We Shall Overcome Production company / Nordisk Film Despite their differences they develop a special Production company / Asta Film, (2006) took home the Crystal Bear as well as 26 International sales / TrustNordisk bond and a mutual affection. Nordisk Film other international awards. The Girl with the Dragon / t +45 3686 8788 International sales / TrustNordisk Tattoo (2009), based on novelist Stieg Larsson’s / [email protected] Produced by veteran Per Holst, who has more than / t +45 3686 8788 popular thriller trilogy, was a worldwide box-office / www.trustnordisk.com 50 years of experience in the business (Palme d’Or, / [email protected] success. Golden Globe and Oscar winner ). / www.trustnordisk.com Speed Walking Walk With Me Walk with Me stars 2012 Silver Bear winner and 2013 / Kapgang / De standhaftige Shooting Star Mikkel Boe Følsgaard (A Royal Affair).

14 DANISH FILMS | Cannes Issue 2015 DANISH FILMS | Cannes Issue 2015 15 Catalogue Catalogue Feature Films Feature Films

When their son, Esben, moves out, Kjeld and Vibeke Genre / Drama Detectives and best friends, Andreas and Simon, Genre / Drama decide to relocate to a smaller home. They discover lead vastly different lives. Andreas has settled that the apartment they lived in back when they Status / In production down with his beautiful wife and son, while Simon, Status / Released were students is up for sale and agree to buy it and Danish Release / 2016 recently divorced, spends most of his waking hours Danish Release / 15.01.2015 make a new start. Kjeld furnishes the apartment Director / Christian Tafdrup getting drunk at the local strip club. However, all Running time / 105 min. the way it was back then, and for a while the two Appearances / Bodil Jørgensen, that changes when the two of them are called out Director / Susanne Bier relive their sweet days of youth. But events take a Søren Malling, Miri Ann Beuschel, to a domestic dispute between a junkie couple, Appearances / Nikolaj Coster- turn neither of them had expected as they wake up Elliott Crosset Hove caught in a vicious cycle of violence and drugs. Waldau, Ulrich Thomsen, Maria one morning and find that they are actually thirty Producer / Thomas Heinesen It looks routine – until Andreas finds the couple Bonnevie, Nikolaj Lie Kaas years younger. Production company & has neglected their infant son, crying and hungry. Producer / Sisse Graum Jørgensen International sales / Nordisk Film The usually collected police officer finds himself Production company / Zentropa Feature debut by director Christian Tafdrup. / t +45 3618 8200 confronted with his own powerlessness and is International sales / TrustNordisk Feature Debut Supported by the Danish Film Institute’s talent / [email protected] shaken to his core. As Andreas slowly loses his grip / t +45 3686 8788 scheme, New Danish Screen. Stars actor Søren / www.nordiskfilm.com on justice, it is suddenly up to the unruly Simon to / [email protected] Malling (The Hijacking, Borgen). restore the balance between right and wrong. / www.trustnordisk.com

Parents A Second Chance The director’s In a Better World received an Oscar and a Golden Globe in 2011. Later the same year, / Forældre / En chance til Bier was honoured with Best Director at the European Film Awards

Ingelise and Herluf have been happily married for Genre / Drama The Shamer’s daughter, Dina, has unwillingly Genre / Fantasy many years. Their marriage has become more of a inherited her mother’s supernatural ability. She routine arrangement and Ingelise has secretly been Status / Released can look straight into the soul of other people, Status / Released having an affair with a colleague at work. She is Danish Release / 26.02.2015 making them feel ashamed of themselves. When Danish Release / 26.03.2015 also busily preparing their daughter Gitte’s third Running time / 104 min. the sole heir to the throne is wrongfully accused of Running time / 96 min. wedding, while Herluf is doing all he can in order Director / Erik Clausen the horrible murders of his family, Dina’s mother Director / Kenneth Kainz to fulfill his responsibilities as a dutiful husband, Appearances / Bodil Jørgensen, is lured to Dunark under false pretenses to make Appearances / Peter Plaugborg, father and mechanic – even if he could do without Erik Clausen, Lærke Winther, him confess. Neglecting to use her ability for the Jakob Oftebro, Søren Malling, the hassle and work of the impending wedding. Rasmus Botoft wrong purposes, she is taken prisoner. It is now up Stina Ekblad Herluf starts forgetting things and one day, he Producer / Maja Dyekjær to Dina to uncover the truth of the murders, but Producer / Nina Lyng, hands a fixed car over to a customer, without the Production company & soon she finds herself whirled into a dangerous Eva Juel Hammerich brakes working. The car crashes shortly afterwards. International sales / Clausen Film power struggle with her own life at risk. In a semi Production company / Nepenthe Film Herluf is in shock, and then one day, he does not / t +45 3321 1968 realistic medieval fantasy world with Dragons and International sales / TrustNordisk come home. Nobody knows where he is and Ingelise / [email protected] Witchcraft, Dina and her family are thrown into / t +45 3686 8788 and the whole family discover how much they miss / www.erikclausen.dk the adventure of a lifetime in order to put the / [email protected] him, how little they know about Herluf, and how rightful heir to the Kingdom of Dunark on the / www.trustnordisk.com People Get Eaten much he means to them. The Shamer’s Daughter Throne. / skammerens Erik Clausen’s Freedom on Parole (2010) was selected / Skammerens datter The Shamer’s Daughter is Kenneth Kainz’ (Otto Is a at Montreal World Film Festival. Rhino, Pure Hearts) fourth feature film. Based on a popular fantasy book series by Lene Kaaberbøl.

Johannes lives together with his father, the middle- Genre / Drama In an isolated villa by a lake in the middle of the Genre / Horror aged widower Ulrik in a small fishing town in the forest, a Danish couple, Louise and Kasper, live northern part of Denmark. They live a quiet routine Status / Released in harmony with nature and away from modern Status / Completed life, each minding their separate jobs in the fishing Danish Release / 16.04.2015 life: away from cell phones, high tech and even Danish Release / 2016 industry. Ulrik misses the love and tenderness of Running time / 95 min. electricity. Louise’s biggest dream in life is to Running time / 90 min. a woman and arranges for the young, beautiful, Director / Frederikke Aspöck become a mother, but she is not able to have any Director / Ali Abbasi Filipino Rosita to come to Denmark – just as many Appearances / Mikkel Boe Følsgaard, children. In desperation, Louise enters a pact with Appearances / Cosmina Stratan, Ellen other men in the town have done before him. Jens Albinus, Mercedes Cabral, her Romanian house cleaner, Elena, to bear her Dorrit Petersen, Peter Christoffersen, Johannes is reluctantly drawn into this as Ulrik’s Julie Agnete Vang child as a surrogate mother in return for a large Kenneth M. Christensen translator. However, over the following weeks Producer / Thomas Heinesen sum of money. Quickly it becomes clear that Elena’s Producer / Jacob Jarek Johannes and Rosita are getting more and more Production company & pregnancy is not a regular one. The life growing Production company / Profile attracted to each other which forces Johannes to International sales / Nordisk Film inside Elena is quickly taking shape, and it is Pictures Second Feature take responsibility for his dreams and his future. / t +45 3618 8200 Feature Debut affecting the lives of everyone around it like a dark International sales / Indie Sales / [email protected] force. The horrors of birth are in effect. / t +33 (0)1 44 83 02 27 Frederikke Aspöck’s first feature Out of Bounds / www.nordiskfilm.com / [email protected] (2011) premiered in Cannes and won the Golden Feature debut by Ali Abbasi. Supported by the / www.indiesales.eu Rosita Star Award at Marrakech Film Festival. Shelley Danish Film Institute’s talent scheme, New Danish / Rosita / Shelley Screen.

12 DANISH FILMS | Cannes Issue 2015 DANISH FILMS | Cannes Issue 2015 13 Catalogue Catalogue Feature Films Feature Films

Yusif, who is half Danish, half Arab, travels to Genre / Drama The film tells the story of emerging fashion model Genre / Drama the Middle Eastern city of Medina along with his Emma who struggles to enter the Parisian fashion pregnant Danish wife, Sarah. Yusif wants to start Status / Completed scene and develops a deadly obsession for male Status / Post-production a new life with his wife in his father’s hometown. Danish Release / 2016 fashion photographer Shane White. Danish Release / 11.02.2016 He is convinced that this is where he belongs and Running time / 90 min. Running time / 90 min. happiness lies ahead. But shortly after their arrival, Director / Omar Shargawi Second feature from award-winning director of Director / Mads Matthiesen Yusif is unintentionally responsible for a beggar Appearances / Omar Shargawi, Teddy Bear, for which he won Best Director at Appearances / Maria Palm, boy’s death. The people of the street beat up Sarah Henning Jensen Sundance. Starring British actor Ed Skrein (Game Ed Skrein, Charlotte Tomaszewska, and Yusif. She miscarries. He is put in prison for Producer / René Ezra, Tomas Radoor of Thrones). Thierry Hancisse murder. The only thing that keeps Yusif’s spirit up Production company / Nordisk Film Producer / Jonas Bagger in the Arab prison is the thought of seeing Sarah International sales / TrustNordisk Production company / Zentropa again and his faith in God. But when he realises / t +45 3686 8788 International sales / TrustNordisk Second Feature that he has to sit in a prison hole for the rest of his / [email protected] Second Feature / t +45 3686 8788 life, he loses his patience, faith and hope. All that is / www.trustnordisk.com / [email protected] left is anger towards the Creator he used to love. / www.trustnordisk.com

Medina Shargawi made his debut as director with the The Model feature film Go with Peace Jamil (2008), awarded / Medina generously at festivals – winning the VPRO Tiger / The Model Award in Rotterdam, the Church Prize and FIPRESCI Award in Göteborg, and Best Director in Transylvania.

Gabriel and Elias are brothers, but very different Genre / Comedy The children find an old photo of a man with a Genre / Comedy from one another. Gabriel is a worn down beard and gold prospector equipment. The man university professor and Elias is masturbating Status / Released turns out to be their great-grandfather, who Status / Released fulltime and whose only concern is women and Danish Release / 05.02.2015 immigrated to Canada many years ago to become a Danish Release / 05.02.2015 trivial knowledge. During a lecture Gabriel receives Running time / 100 min. gold prospector. This excites the children and they Running time / 90 min. a phone call telling him that their father has Director / Anders Thomas Jensen manage to get in touch with their great-aunt Anna, Director / Niels Nørløv died. Things take a turn for the worse, when the Appearances / Mads Mikkelsen, David who invites them to Canada for a visit. It turns Appearances / Signe Skov, Troels brothers receive a videotape recorded by their Dencik, Nicolas Bro, Nikolaj Lie Kaas out that there is a story of an old gold mine and a Malling, Rasmus Botoft, Lærke Winther now late father, telling them that he was not their Producer / Kim Magnusson, Tivi treasure map. Soon, the kids catch the gold fever Producer / Michael Obel biological father after all. Gabriel and Elias discover Magnusson and search for the treasure, which may still be Production company / Obel Film that their biological father lives on the island Ork. Production company / M&M hidden in the mine that has remained untouched International sales / LevelK They set out to the island and here they meet their Productions for over fifty years. On their way to find the mine, / t +45 4844 3072 three half brothers, Franz, Josef and Gregor. Three International sales / LevelK the Canadian wilderness, nature, animals and two / [email protected] brothers, who are hiding from the authorities and / t +45 4844 3072 suspicious gold prospectors, who want their hands / www.levelk.dk are not afraid to use physical violence with no / [email protected] on the treasure, surprise them. regard for who they beat up. The brothers’ first / www.levelk.dk Men & Chicken meeting doesn’t go as expected. My Canadian Adventure Seventh feature in the My Sister’s Kids children series. / Mænd og høns First film in ten years by Academy Award winner / Min søsters børn og Anders Thomas Jensen (short fiction Election Night). guldgraverne

The mini beetle Mini appears in a flea circus Genre / Animation Nymphomaniac is the story of a woman’s journey Genre / Drama together with Egon and Dagmar. The flea- from birth to the age of fifty as told by the main girl Miranda bullies Mini and tricks him into Status / Released character, the self-diagnosed nymphomaniac, Status / Released interfering in Dagmar’s line dancing, making her Danish Release / 12.06.2014 Joe. On a cold winter’s evening the old, charming Danish Release / 10.09.2014 fall and sprain her foot. Deeply ashamed, Mini Running time / 76 min. bachelor, Seligman, finds Joe beaten up in an Running time / 325 min. runs away and meets a gang of robbers. The brutal Director / Jannik Hastrup, alleyway. He brings her home to his flat where he Director / Lars von Trier beetle, Basse, who orders Mini to break into the Flemming Quist Møller tends to her wounds while asking her about her Appearances / Charlotte Gainsbourg, bees’ honey stock, leads the gang. However, the Producer / Marie Bro life. He listens intently as Joe over the next eight Stellan Skarsgård, Stacy Martin, bee-soldiers catch him, and he is sentenced to Production company / Dansk chapters recounts the lushly branched-out and Shia LaBeouf life-long hard labour. Meanwhile, Miranda regrets Tegnefilm multi-faceted story of her life, rich in associations Producer / Louise Vesth her bullying of Mini and together with Mini, who International sales / TrustNordisk and interjecting incidents. Production company / Zentropa has managed to escape, and their brave friends, / t +45 3686 8788 International sales / TrustNordisk the ants, they succeed in recovering Egon’s beloved / [email protected] Cannes laurate Lars von Trier has received top / t +45 3686 8788 racing bike, which has been stolen by the robbers. / www.trustnordisk.com awards for six Cannes titles including the Palme / [email protected] d’Or for . / www.trustnordisk.com The experienced animators Jannik Hastrup and Mini and the Mozzies Flemming Quist Møller have teamed up once again Nymphomaniac to make a second animated film centring on Quist / Cykelmyggen og Minibillen Møller’s timeless Danish children’s book A Tale of Director’s Cut Two Mozzies. / Nymphomaniac Director’s Cut

10 DANISH FILMS | Cannes Issue 2015 DANISH FILMS | Cannes Issue 2015 11 Catalogue Catalogue Feature Films Feature Films

Maria is a young and caring nurse who wants to Genre / Drama Follow-up to the domestic box-office hit comedy Genre / Comedy break free. Niels is an incurable patient who wants Klown (2011), which was a big audience hit at genre to travel to Switzerland to commit assisted suicide. Status / Completed festivals and won awards at Fantastic Fest and Status / Post-production Together they embark on an intense journey that Danish Release / 21.05.2015 Fantasia. Directed by Mikkel Nørgaard (The Keeper Danish Release / 24.09.2015 will bring them closer to each other, but also closer Running time / 88 min. of Lost Causes, 2013, and The Absent One, 2014). Running time / 90 min. to their dreams. Director / Samanou Acheche Director / Mikkel Nørgaard Sahlstrøm Read more on page 6 in reverse section. Appearances / Frank Hvam, Samanou Acheche Sahlstrøm’s graduation film Appearances / Lisa Carlehed, Casper Christensen, Mia Lyhne from the National Film School of Denmark in 2011, Peter Plaugborg, Johanna Wokalek, Producer / Jesper Zartov Les Amours Perdues, stars Emmanuelle Béart and Kirsten Olesen Production company / Nutmeg Denis Lavant. In Your Arms received the Dragon Producer / Sara Namer Movies Award and the FIPRESCI Award at the 2015 Production company & International sales / Protagonist Feature Debut Götebrog International Film Festival. International sales / Meta Film Pictures / [email protected] / t + 44 20 7734 9000 / www.metafilm.dk / [email protected] In Your Arms Klown Forever / www.protagonistpictures.com / I dine hænder / Forever

1962. A young generation rebels against the Genre / Drama Taking place in May 1945 only a few days after the Genre / Drama Establishment. Peace activist Eik Skaløe meets Iben end of the war, the film tells the story of how a and falls head over heels in love, but Iben refuses Status / Released group of German prisoners of war were brought to Status / Completed to commit herself to one man only. Desperately, Danish Release / 19.02.2015 Denmark and forced to disarm the two million land Danish Release / 22.10.2015 Eik tries to win her over by transforming from Running time / 107 min. mines that had been scattered along the West Coast Running time / 96 min. poet to writer, nomad, junkie and eventually lead Director / Ole Christian Madsen by the German occupying forces. In charge of the Director / Martin Pieter Zandvliet singer in the destined-to-become-legendary band Appearances / Joachim Fjelstrup, enfeebled young men performing the dangerous Appearances / Roland Møller, Steppeulvene. Marie Tourell Søderberg, Christian task is Sergeant Carl Leopold Rasmussen. Like so Mikkel Boe Følsgaard, Louis Hofmann, Gade Bjerrum, Johannes Nymark many of his fellow Danes, he has a deep hatred for Joel Basman The director’s WWII drama Flame & Citron (2008) Producer / Lars Bredo Rahbek the Germans after having suffered five years of Producer / Mikael Christian Rieks about two Danish resistance fighters was a huge Production company / Nimbus Film hardships during the occupation. He lets his rage Production company / Nordisk Film domestic box-office hit. His comedy Superclásico International sales / The Match rain down on the prisoners, until one day a tragic International sales / K5 Media Group (2011) was shortlisted for the Oscars. Factory incident makes him change his view of the enemy / t +49 89 37 50 55 90 / t +49 221 539 709-0 even if it may be too late. / [email protected] / [email protected] / www.k5film.com / www.the-match-factory.com Martin Pieter Zandvliet’s Applause won two awards Itsi Bitsi Land of Mine at Karlovy Vary and was selected for Toronto. Land of Mine stars breakout actor Roland Møller / Steppeulven / Under sandet (Northwest), 2012 Silver Bear winner and 2013 Shooting Star Mikkel Boe Følsgaard (A Royal Affair) and up-and-coming German actors Louis Hofmann and Joel Basman.

Lily and Max have been married for more than Genre / Drama The story of Ellen and her friends, all in their Genre / Comedy, Drama 50 years. Now, they live together in a nursing late thirties/early forties, and their more or less home, where Max has been reliant on professional Status / Completed self-inflicted complicated love life and longing Status / Released care since his stroke. Lily has been putting her Danish Release / 12.11.2015 for romantic redemption. The story is a summary Danish Release / 07.05.2015 own needs aside and is desperately longing for Running time / 94 min. of three years of love-related highs and lows for Running time / 90 min. excitement and intimacy in her life. When a man Director / Michael Noer the group of friends told through eight chapters, Director / May el-Toukhy known as “the Pilot” moves in next-door, he and his Appearances / Ghita Nørby, Sven each of them set at a party: a New Year’s Eve, a Appearances / Mille Hoffmeyer passion for life immediately charm Lily. However, Wollter, Trine Pallesen, Jens Brenaa housewarming, a Midsummer’s Eve, a wedding, a Lehfeldt, Jens Albinus, Trine Dyrholm, neither her family nor the other residents at the Producer / Tomas Radoor, René Ezra surprise party, a naming ceremony, an anniversary Danica Curcic nursing home are fond of her new acquaintance. Production company / Nordisk Film and a round birthday. It is an ensemble story about Producer / Caroline Blanco, Christian Misunderstood by her family and trapped in her life International sales / TrustNordisk a group of people who struggle with the conception Steengaard Potalivo with Max, Lily decides to fight to escape the bars of / t +45 3686 8788 of the perfect relationship and are bound to re- Production company / Miso Film her invisible prison and claim her freedom. / [email protected] Feature Debut evaluate their take on what true love is. International sales / TrustNordisk / www.trustnordisk.com / t +45 3686 8788 The third feature by the acclaimed director Feature film debut by May el-Toukhy, who has / [email protected] of Northwest (2013) and R (2010) premiered at assembled an impressive cast of Trine Dyrholm / www.trustnordisk.com Key House Mirror Rotterdam and Göteborg. Ghita Nørby received the Long Story Short (The Celebration, In a Better World), Jens Albinus Italian film critics’ award for her role in Key House (The Idiots, Nymhomaniac), last year’s Shooting Star / Nøgle hus spejl Mirror at Festival del Cinema Europeo in Lecce. / Lang historie kort Danica Curcic (The Absent One) and Swedish actor Ola Repace (Skyfall).

8 DANISH FILMS | Cannes Issue 2015 DANISH FILMS | Cannes Issue 2015 9 Catalogue Catalogue Feature Films Feature Films

Comedian Thomas Vang has wrecked his career and Genre / Comedy Set in the blooming 1960s, the film centers around Genre / Drama will do anything to return to the top. Even if it is two young brothers who are instantly robbed just warming up for his friend, the successful Mads Status / Completed of their lives when they are placed in a boy’s Status / Post-production Andersen, he goes all out to get his career back on Danish Release / 06.08.2015 home forgotten by time. Armed only with a vivid Danish Release / 2016 track. However, when his cheeky teenage daughter, Running time / 90 min. imagination and a fickle hope the boys engage in Running time / 110 min. Frederikke, suddenly turns up out of the misty fog Director / Natasha Arthy the frightening battle against Headmaster Heck and Director / Jesper W. Nielsen

of oblivion, Thomas’ life is turned upside down. Appearances / Anders W. Berthelsen, Nielsen Director Jesper W. his lethal tyranny. Appearances / Lars Mikkelsen, She does whatever she can to sabotage his dreams, Peder Thomas Pedersen, Sarah-Sofie Sofie Gråbøl, Harald Kaiser Hermann, and before Thomas realizes what has hit him, he Boussnina, Roberta Reichhardt Starring Lars Mikkelsen from Netflix series House of Albert Rudbeck Lindhardt plummets with great accuracy into the abyss. Only Producer / Morten Kaufmann Cards and Sofie Gråbøl from the TV series The Killing Producer / Peter Aalbæk Jensen, Frederikke can save him – but is it even worth Production company & and Fortitude. Produced by power trio Sisse Graum Sisse Graum Jørgensen, Louise Vesth her while? One thing is certain; it will not be the International sales / Toolbox Film Jørgensen (In a Better World, The Hunt), Louise Vesth Production company / Zentropa comeback he envisioned. / t +45 2077 9047 (Nymphomaniac, A Royal Affair) and Peter Aalbæk International sales / TrustNordisk / [email protected] Jensen (The Absent One, The Idiots). / t +45 3686 8788 Natasha Arthy’s feature film debut Miracle (2000) /www.toolboxfilm.dk / [email protected] was chosen for Kinderfilmfest in Berlin and / www.trustnordisk.com Comeback awarded at festivals worldwide. Her teen kung- The Day Will Come fu drama Fighter (2007) was selected for Berlin’s / Comeback Generation 14plus, as was the TV series Heartless / Der kommer en dag (2014) in 2015. Comeback stars Anders W. Berthelsen, who attended Berlin with Mifune (1999, Silver Bear winner) and What No One Knows (2008).

Erik and Anna are an academic couple with a Genre / Drama The year is 1836. Danish botanist and visionary, Genre / Drama dream. Together with their daughter Freja, they Frederik Wulff, travels to Africa following orders set up a commune in Erik’s huge villa in an Status / Post-production from the king of Denmark. He is to monitor the Status / Completed upmarket district of Copenhagen. With the family Danish Release / 14.01.2016 work at a coffee plantation on the Gold Coast (now Danish Release / 02.07.2015 at the centre of the story, we are invited into their Running time / 90 min. Ghana). The young Wulff writes about his desire Running time / 100 min. dream of a real commune. We participate in the Director / Thomas Vinterberg to do good to his beloved Eleonora, but his best Director / Daniel Dencik house meetings, the dinners and parties. There Appearances / Trine Dyrholm, Ulrich intentions and Christian belief is soon confronted Appearances / Jakob Oftebro, is friendship, love and togetherness under one Thomsen, Helene Reingaard Neumann, with a harsh reality dominated by slave trade and Danica Curcic, John Aggrey, roof, until an earth-shattering love affair puts Martha Sofie Wallstrøm Hansen unbelievable brutality. Anders Heinrichsen the small community to its greatest test yet. The Producer / Morten Kaufmann, Producer / Michael film is a humorous, delicate but also painful and Sisse Graum Jørgensen Feature debut by acclaimed documentary director, Haslund-Christensen touching portrait of an entire generation, a gentle Production company / Zentropa editor and poet, Daniel Dencik. Winner of the Reel Production company & yet confrontational declaration of love for a group International sales / TrustNordisk Feature Debut Talent Award at CPH:DOX in 2012. Both Moonrider International sales / Haslund/Dencik of idealists and dreamers who have long since / t +45 3686 8788 (2012) and Expedition to the End of the World (2013) Entertainment awakened to reality. / [email protected] were selected for Karlovy Vary and a number of / [email protected] / www.trustnordisk.com other international festivals, including Hot Docs, / t +45 2023 1388 The Commune Ulrich Thomsen and Trine Dyrholm from Cannes Gold Coast AFI Docs and True/False. winner The Celebration (1998) reunite in Thomas / Kollektivet Vinterberg’s eighth feature. Submarino (2010) was / Guldkysten selected for Berlin, and The Hunt (2013) won three prizes at Cannes and was nominated for an Oscar.

Due to climate change a new race of flesh eating Genre / Adventure On January 21st 1968 an American B-52 bomber Genre / Thriller predators arise, invade and eat everything living carrying nuclear warheads crashed on the polar ice on earth. In a residential neighborhood in a Status / Released near the US military Air Base in Danish controlled Status / Released Danish suburb, nightmare-like scenes are being Danish Release / 09.10.2014 Thule, Greenland. A few days later, responsible Danish Release / 09.04.2015 experienced first-hand through the eyes of two Running time / 90 min. governments classify the crash as a Broken Running time / 114 min. teenage brothers, who cannot stand each other, but Director / Martin Barnewitz Arrow scenario (nuclear accident) but proclaim Director / Christina Rosendahl are now suddenly forced to barricade themselves in Appearances / William Jøhnk Nielsen, the situation being under control. Hundreds of Appearances / Peter Plaugborg, the basement together to avoid being eaten. From Thomas Garvey, Peter Gantzler, Thule workers are set to work, helping in the Søren Malling, Arly Jover, one day to another, without parents and without Emilie Werner Semmelroth gigantic clean-up operation. After eight months, all Thomas Bo Larsen electricity, food, water and contact to other people, Producer / Christian Steengaard traces of the crashed aircraft and the plutonium- Producer / Jonas Frederiksen, the brothers have to learn to live together in their Potalivo, Caroline Blanco contaminated snow are gone. The case is closed. Signe Leick Jensen, Ane Mandrup vital protection bunker, while monsters move past Production company / Miso Film 18 years on, while covering a local workers Production company / Toolbox Film Second Feature the basement windows and heavy sharp claws can International sales / TrustNordisk Second Feature compensation story, reporter Poul Brink, suddenly International sales / LevelK be heard moving around upstairs on the wooden / t +45 3686 8788 runs into suspicious circumstances linking back / t +45 4844 3072 floors. / [email protected] to the concealed ‘68 nuclear accident. Apparently / [email protected] / www.trustnordisk.com the full and true story about the crash lays well- / www.levelk.dk Danny’s Doomsday Second feature by Martin Barnewitz who made The Idealist protected deep under the Thule Bay’s ice cap and his feature debut with Room 205 (2007). Won Best deep down the classified archives in the US. / Dannys dommedag Short Film Award at Mannheim-Heidelberg for his / Idealisten psychological thriller Glimt af mørke (2004). Based on a true events. Second feature film by director Christina Rosendahl.

6 DANISH FILMS | Cannes Issue 2015 DANISH FILMS | Cannes Issue 2015 7 Catalogue Catalogue Feature Films Feature Films

In 1994, two young twins are found brutally Genre / Thriller Antboy has defeated his archenemy The Flea, who Genre / Adventure murdered in a summer cottage. A number of clues is now locked away in a padded cell. He is more point in the direction of a group of young upper Status / Released popular than ever and enjoying life as a superhero. Status / Released class students from a nearby boarding school, but Danish Release / 02.10.2014 But his powers are useless against Christian, the Danish Release / 25.12.2014 the case is closed as a local outsider pleads guilty Running time / 119 min. new boy in school. Antboy has a crush on Ida, but Running time / 90 min. and is convicted for the murders. When the case Director / Mikkel Nørgaard Christian, a charming but two-faced do-gooder, is Director / Ask Hasselbalch ends up on Carls Mørck’s desk 20 years later, he Appearances / Nikolaj Lie Kaas, trying to steal her away from him. As if that wasn’t Appearances / Oscar Dietz, soon realises that something is terribly wrong. As Fares Fares, Pilou Asbæk, David Dencik bad enough, our hero also finds himself being Nicolas Bro, Amalie Kruse Jensen, Carl and Assad start investigating the case, they are Producer / Louise Vesth, Jonas haunted by a mysterious invisible enemy: The Red Samuel Ting Graf led on to an old emergency call from a desperate Bagger, Peter Aalbæk Jensen Fury has announced her arrival. Producer / Eva Jakobsen girl who seems to know the secrets of the murders. Production company / Zentropa Production company / Nimbus Film Soon they are plunged into an intense search for International sales / TrustNordisk Selected for Generation Kplus at Berlin 2015. International sales / Attraction the girl, Kimmie, who has been missing since the / t +45 3686 8788 Second Feature Antboy premiered at Toronto International Film Distribution murders happened. However, Carl and Assad are / [email protected] Festival and was released in American cinemas in / t +1 514 846 1222 not the only ones trying to track her down. / www.trustnordisk.com the spring 2014. / [email protected] / www.attractiondistribution.ca The Absent One The second of four films based on the international Antboy – Revenge of The / Fasandræberne bestselling crime novels by Jussi Adler-Olsen. Red Fury / Antboy – Den Røde Furies hævn

Albert is born in Kellyville, the smallest city of Genre / Animation In the early morning of April 9 1940 the Danish Genre / Drama the world, and he is the worst scoundrel in town. army is alerted. The Germans have crossed the Because of Albert, every day is a challenge for the Status / Released border; Denmark is at war against Europe’s Status / Released inhabitants of Kellyville, and then one day Albert Danish Release / 26.02.2015 strongest army. In Southern Jutland Danish bicycle Danish Release / 12.03.2015 crashes into the city statue and smashes it into Running time / 70 min. and motorcycle companies are summoned in Running time / 97 min. a thousand pieces. Before anybody get another Director / Karsten Kiilerich order to hold back the forces, until the Danish Director / Roni Ezra chance to complain, Albert decides to rehabilitate Producer / Tivi Magnusson, reinforcements can be mobilized. During these Appearances / Pilou Asbæk, his “good” name. He promises the villagers and Kim Magnusson, Anders Mastrup crucial hours we follow second lieutenant Sand and Gustav Dyekjær Giese, Lars Mikkelsen, his parents to venture out into the big world and Production company / M&M his bicycle company. They will, as the first Danish Joachim Fjelstrup come back as a hot-air-balloon-captain, in honour Productions, A. Film soldiers, meet the enemy in combat on April 9, 1940. Producer / Tomas Radoor, René Ezra of Kellyville. International sales / Sola Media Production company / Nordisk Film / t +49 711 479 3666 Pilou Asbæk plays the lead in Roni Ezra’s feature International sales / TrustNordisk Second Feature Based on a novel by the popular Danish children’s / [email protected] Feature Debut debut, written by award-winning writer-director / t +45 3686 8788 book author Ole Lund Kierkegaard. Production / www.sola-media.net Tobias Lindholm (A Hijacking, The Hunt). Producer / [email protected] company A. Film is a leading animation house in team Tomas Radoor and René Ezra from Nordisk / www.trustnordisk.com Denmark whose productions include Terkel in Trouble Film are regular collaborators with Lindholm and Albert (2004) and Journey to Saturn (2008). April 9th Michael Noer. / Albert / 9. april

The chaotic thirty-year-old Ditte and her older Genre / Comedy Sara and her dad Dave move to a small village, Genre / Drama sister – the much too sensible Sigrid – travel to which is haunted by suicides among its young Malta with their mother, Lise, to celebrate her 60th Status / Released inhabitants. Sara falls dangerously in love with Status / Completed birthday. Lise’s husband, the girls’ father, has just Danish Release / 25.12.2014 one of the teenagers, Jamie, while Dave, as Danish Release / 25.06.2015 left her, and the two sisters do not exactly see eye Running time / 86 min. the town’s new police officer, tries to stop the Running time / 95 min. to eye on how to cheer up their dejected mother. As Director / Hella Joof mysterious chain of suicides. The film focuses on Director / Jeppe Rønde the holiday progresses, it develops into an absurd Appearances / Bodil Jørgensen, the relationship between vulnerable teenagers Appearances / Hannah Murray, love triangle with the sisters stubbornly fighting Danica Curcic, Maria Rossing, and their parents who are left in the dark as Steven Waddington, over Lise’s love and attention – all in a whirlwind of Carsten Bjørnlund the inexplicable suicides gradually take on the Josh O’Connor, Adrian Rawlins a package holiday full of jealousy, family patterns, Producer / Mie Andreasen character of a punishing ritual. Producer / Michel Schønnemann, lies, disco and a dexterous bartender named Production company & Malene Blenkov Antonio. International sales / Happy Ending First fiction feature by Jeppe Rønde who is Production company / Blenkov & Film / t +45 2248 1539 Feature Debut acclaimed for his documentary films Jerusalem My Schønnemann Pictures After a series of stage, TV and film performances, / [email protected] Love and The Swenkas. The story of the film is based International sales / New Europe Hella Joof made her debut as feature film director on a mysterious suicide cluster that took place Film Sales with Shake It All About (2001) which made the Danes in Bridgend County, a small former coal mining / www.neweuropefilmsales.com All Inclusive flock to the box office – as did her second feature Bridgend province in Wales. Oh Happy Day (2004). All Inclusive is Joof’s seventh / All Inclusive feature film. / Bridgend

4 DANISH FILMS | Cannes Issue 2015 DANISH FILMS | Cannes Issue 2015 5 CATALOGUE Catalogue Danish Industry DANISH Contacts feature Cannes Issue 2015 DOCUMeNTARy short A. Film Production +45 3582 7060 [email protected] www.afilm.com Adomeit Film +45 3141 8681 [email protected] www.adomeitfilm.com Animation Workshop, The +45 8755 4900 [email protected] www.animwork.dk Film CATALOGUE Blenkov & Schønnemann Pictures +45 3333 7525 [email protected] www.blenkovschonnemann.dk Clausen Film +45 3321 1968 [email protected] www.erikclausen.dk Copenhagen Film Fund +45 4072 8842 [email protected] www.cphfilmfund.com 2015 Dansk Tegnefilm +45 2031 3181 [email protected] www.tegnefilm.com Final Cut for Real +45 3543 6043 [email protected] www.final-cut.dk Fridthjof Film +45 3618 0880 [email protected] www.f-film.com Happy Ending Film +45 2248 1539 [email protected] www.happyendingfilm.dk Haslund/Dencik Entertainment +45 2023 1388 [email protected] - M&M Productions +45 7020 3080 [email protected] www.mmproductions.dk Made in Copenhagen +45 2751 5112 [email protected] www.madeincopenhagen.dk Meta Film - [email protected] www.metafilm.dk Miso Film +45 3333 7337 [email protected] www.misofilm.dk Moving Documentary +45 2849 9717 [email protected] www.movingdoc.dk Nimbus Film +45 3634 0910 [email protected] www.nimbusfilm.dk Nordisk Film +45 3618 8200 [email protected] www.nordiskfilm.com Nutmeg Movies - [email protected] - Obel Film +45 7020 1120 [email protected] www.obel.at Profile Pictures +45 2873 2680 [email protected] www.profilepictures.dk SF Film Production +45 3527 0080 [email protected] www.sf-film.dk Toolbox Film +45 2077 9047 [email protected] www.toolboxfilm.dk DFI Key Contacts / Cannes 2015 TrustNordisk +45 3686 8788 [email protected] www.trustnordisk.com Zentropa +45 3686 8788 [email protected] www.zentropa.dk

Henrik Bo Nielsen Claus Ladegaard Noemi Ferrer Schwenk CEO Head of Film Support Head of International

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Lizette Gram Mygind Christian Juhl Lemche Lars Fiil-Jensen Festival Consultant Festival Consultant Communication Feature Films Feature Films & Press Manager

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DANISH FILMS | Cannes Issue 2015 3 DANISH Feature DOCUMeNTARY short FILM CATALOGUE

2015