Tag: denmark

Who else would help you? “The Girl with the Needle” (“Pigen med nålen”, 2024)

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directed by Magnus von Horn
© 2024 Nordisk Film Distribution. All Rights Reserved.

Let’s get back to the Oscars mood for a moment, shall we? So as we know, the Oscar for the Best International Feature Film went to “I’m Still Here”. However, if I may complain a bit – I find this film slightly overrated. I absolutely agree that Fernanda Torres played her character wonderfully, but in my opinion, this film could have portrayed the character of Eunice Paiva much better. I feel like they focused too much on her being just a wife looking for her husband and fighting for justice, and totally forgot how many other things she achieved as an activist. So I’m sorry, but this is not my winner. And the film that I’d personally award in this category is “The Girl with the Needle”. It also kind of shares the story of a famous woman… but we’ll get to that point. So, we’re moving over 100 years back to Copenhagen, where a woman named Karoline (Vic Carmen Sonne) is trying to survive. Her husband hasn’t returned from war, but since he hasn’t been officially declared dead, Karoline cannot receive any widow’s compensation, so she’s struggling with money. Later, a lot of events take place, but I wouldn’t like to spoil them. However, at some point Karoline meets Dagmar (Trine Dyrholm), a woman who helps her with an illegal and difficult act. From that moment, those two become friends, but there’s a dark secret that Dagmar is hiding. If you don’t want any spoilers, then stop reading at this point, but if you’ve already heard of Dagmar Overbye, then please stay. So, this film is portraying the character of a Danish serial killer who was helping mothers by adopting their children and later murdering them in various ways. Yes, that’s the friend that Karoline makes. Lovely… But before you get scared of watching such dark production, let me just explain why I was amazed by it. First, the story itself is fascinating and highly feminist. Back then, women’s main role was being a wife and a mother, so they couldn’t make their own decisions and had to agree to whatever the man said or did. If they got pregnant with a baby they couldn’t support financially, they were left with such problem on their own. So giving a child away to adoption was a perfect solution. Obviously, the mothers didn’t know about the cruelty of Dagmar, but this story shows that there wasn’t any other option for those women. If only they’d had a legal and safe opportunity not to give birth in the first place, perhaps such murderer would have even existed. I’m not explaining her, absolutely not, but this film point out the consequences of putting people against the wall. The worst part is that nowadays it’s still the reality of many women in the world. So I find this story a gruesome reminder that patriarchy is the cause of lots of current global problems. Second, I was amazed by the atmosphere the filmmakers created and the magnificent camerawork. It perfectly suited the emotional level of the story, so despite its general message, it was disturbingly pleasant to watch. Make sure to see this production and reflect on it yourself.

My rating: 7/10
S.

If this was a piece of fiction, no one would believe. “The Mole: Undercover in North Korea” (2020)

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directed by Mads Brügger
© 2020 Wingman Media. All Rights Reserved.

At one documentary festival this year I had a chance to see several very good productions and today I’m sharing one with you. Generally, I’m not much interested in politics and never-ending discussions who said what and who did what, so I try to avoid films that are too political. However, since I’m a traveller and I’ve always been fascinated by the countries that are especially difficult to reach for me, I couldn’t just skip a documentary about North Korea. What I learnt from this film is much more than I’d expected so fasten your seat belts. Despite the fact that it’s a documentary about North Korea, the person that we’re following is actually Danish. Ulrich Larsen used to work as a chef, but had to retire because of a serious illness. How come a Danish chef becomes the main figure in this film? Well, Mads Brügger, the director, had previously made a documentary series called “The Red Chapel” (“Det Røde Kapel”), which is shortly speaking (you’ll find out more about it in today’s film) about Danish comedians that “accidentally” performed in North Korea and mocked their authorities there. As you might be guessing, Brügger was immediately put on the list of people who mustn’t enter the country, so his filmmaking plans about this particular region are quite limited. And here comes our Danish chef Ulrich, who has seen Brügger’s series and decided to join the Korean Friendship Association, which is basically a group of people in Denmark (and all over the world) that are supporting North Korea’s authorities and whatever is happening there. The two men have agreed to cooperate and from that moment on Ulrich was the director’s mole. His task was to gain as much trust among North Korea supporters as it’s possible and see where that may lead him. And that’s what I’d like you to learn yourselves while watching the documentary, because it’s a lot, trust me. All I can say is that the whole project took… about 10 years. Yes, 10 years. Imagine spending so many years pretending someone you’re not, surrounded by people you don’t trust and you know that all those relations are absolutely fake. At the beginning, when he’s just a member of that association, the consequences wouldn’t have been too harsh if they’d found out about Ulrich’s double-life. But when the things get more serious, the man starts living in a constant danger. And as long as he’s in Denmark, he’s rather safe. But what happens in North Korea, stays in North Korea. Literally. Another reason why you should see this documentary is perhaps learning about the reality in that country. Personally, I read and watch a lot of stuff about different cultures and nations, so I’d known a bit of what’s presented here. But perhaps you don’t and that would be the first time you actually realise the “Democratic People’s Republic of Korea” is in fact just “Korea”. This documentary is so unreal that there were moments I forgot I was watching a non-fiction. Sometimes I felt like the pace was a bit too slow, but since it took them so many years to make the film, I cannot complain too much. In the end, it’s a mind-blowing documentary and if you’re a fan of action and mystery films, this one will satisfy you more than most fictional productions. I promise.

My rating: 7/10
S.

There are different types of heroes. “Cannon Arm and the Arcade Quest” (“Kim Kanonarm og rejsen mod verdensrekorden”, 2021)

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directed by Mads Hedegaard
© 2021 Good Company Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

It’s been quite some time since I saw this film, but I guess I’m ready to finally write about it. I watched it during a film festival and it’s one of the productions that I remember most from that event. The documentary focuses on a group of middle-aged Danish gamers who share their passion for playing old games, drinking beer and enjoying their time together. Non-gamers feel bored already? Well, I’m not a gamer myself, unless playing The Sims and removing the pool ladder counts as being a gamer, but I haven’t done that in a long time. Although now I’m feeling nostalgic… Anyway, let’s get back to our lovely bunch, shall we? We mostly focus on Kim Kobke, also known as “Cannon Arm”. The man wishes to break the world record for playing arcade game Gyruss. For non-games – flying a spaceship and pew pew-ing to different objects on the screen. His goal is to play for 100 hours without breaks. I mean, technically without breaks. The idea is that the game has to be turned on and he cannot lose during the whole 100 hours. I wasn’t entirely sure what to think about that plan because, let’s face it, 100 hours means over 4 days. 4 days of constant gaming without a proper rest. As much as I would never go for that, I was fascinated by the passion Kim shared with his friends and how engaged they all were in the preparation. They were meeting to discuss the plan, the schedule (because one of the guys always had to be close to Kim to support him or, simply, wake him up if needed), even the diet that Kim should follow before and during the record breaking. If you want to see some great team work and men being 100% involved into something – then this film brings hope, I swear. As I said, the gaming world is not really my thing, but this documentary actually got me excited. I mean, I was fascinated how well they all cooperated with each other and supported Kim in making his dream come true. However, did he succeed? You have to see yourselves. Also, as much as I admired that whole nerdy team work, I was a bit disturbed by how much one can sacrifice for the sake of playing a game. Don’t get me wrong, we all have our hobbies and things we like, but staying up for 4 days straight is very unhealthy and may lead to numerous problems, both physical and mental. I support people in following their dreams and doing what makes them happy, but taking care of ourselves should be a priority. Anyway, technically this documentary is well-produced and I believe the filmmakers did a very good job. In the end, a decent documentary should make your brain burn, and that’s what happened in that case to me, so I’m giving thumbs up. Feel free to put your own brains on fire. Pew pew!

My rating: 7/10
S.

From now on you have no family. “Flee” (“Flugt”, 2021)

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directed by Jonas Poher Rasmussen
© 2021 Neon. All Rights Reserved.

How surprised most of us were to see today’s film being nominated as the best animation, and best documentary aaaaand best international film. For me it was obvious that I need to see such a famous and probably marvellous production. There were two options – either it’s a masterpiece or it’s horribly overrated. And to give you a pinch of my opinion I could say: the story belongs to a masterpiece, but the form is overrated. But first, the plot. We get to know an Afghan man named Amin Nawabi who’s telling his life story. As a young boy he needed to run away from his country together with his family. Currently, he’s living in Denmark, but the way to this particular moment hasn’t been easy nor short. It’s actually a real story of a refugee who was fighting for a better future, for safety and a chance for himself and the family. Indeed, what Amin (by the way, it’s just his pseudonym in order not to reveal the man’s real name) is sharing may break hearts and even cause tears in your eyes. On the one hand, I’m sure we all have heard such stories, because there are, unfortunately, way too many refugees like Amin. On the other hand, such stories, even if similar, are always incredibly emotional and they make us realise that it’s an actual human tragedy happening somewhere close to us. So when it comes to the content and the idea for the film, I believe it’s a must see. However, the kind of animation presented in this production is not the best element of it and personally I was slightly annoyed. Because if only the animation was smoother, I bet I would end up rating the film higher. As a podcast, it’s a wonderful piece, but I need to rate everything I experienced. To be honest, I don’t see this production winning in any of the previously mentioned categories, although the biggest chances are in documentary. Which doesn’t change the fact that it is a film worth seeing. Except the fact that Amin has been through a lot on his way to Denmark, he’s also homosexual, which is an absolute taboo in his country of origin. So I’m glad we’re slowly showing, step by step, that sexuality is universal and as many people we have on this planet, as many different preferences and needs there are. No matter where you’re from or who you are.

My rating: 7/10
S.

It’s always been like this. “Worlds Apart” (“To verdener”, 2008)

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directed by Niels Arden Oplev
© 2008 Nordisk Film. All Rights Reserved.

Last night I wanted to see something light to relax and I found this film. It didn’t seem like a light production, but I was too curious to leave it for later so I played it hoping that I’d just check out the beginning. I finished it after 1 am and I’m a bit sleepy today, but it was definitely worth it. The film tells the story of Sara (Rosalinde Mynster), a Danish teenager, whose family are Jehovah’s Witnesses. If you don’t know much about them, let me tell you that they are a very specific group of believers that have incredibly strict rules and often have to give up on a lot of usual things. One night, Sara goes out with her friend and meets Teis (Pilou Asbæk). The boy is very much attracted to her and wishes for them to get to know each other better. However, Sara shouldn’t be dating a person who’s not a Jehovah’s Witness, but the girl has very strong feelings towards Teis that she starts questioning her own religion. I was absolutely thrilled how they managed to present a quite difficult topic in a respectful and somehow objective way. Indeed, Sara’s religion was limiting her and we could feel like she’s being manipulated, but on the other hand she was born in such family and was too scared to go against them. Imagine living in some environment for 17 years and suddenly realising it could all be a lie. I was amazed and loved how they developed the whole story. Very good casting and acting as well, I had chills. Obviously, it’s a Scandinavian drama, I’m sure not everyone might like it, but give it a try as I decided to sleep 2 hours less last night because of this film and I don’t regret it.

My rating: 7/10
S.

I’m not your property. “Rosita” (2015)

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directed by Frederikke Aspöck
© 2015 Nordisk Film Biografdistribution. All Rights Reserved.

Recently Netflix has added lots of Scandinavian productions and since I actually enjoy their style of filmmaking, you may find some recommendations from the north on my blog in the nearest future. Although I’m aware of the fact that you need to appreciate certain type of humour and kind of understand Scandinavian way of being to like their films. Today’s film tells the story of three people: Johannes (Mikkel Boe Følsgaard), Ulrik (Jens Albinus) and Rosita (Mercedes Cabral). Johannes is a grown up son of Ulrik, a widower, and they are living together in a small fishing town in Denmark. His father, even though still in mourning, wishes to find himself another woman not to feel lonely. That is why he invites a beautiful young lady from Philippines, Rosita, to start living with him and become his new partner. As you can imagine, Rosita accepts the offer, but not because she’s anyhow in love with Ulrik – that way she can change her life and live in completely different conditions. Rosita doesn’t speak Danish and Ulrik doesn’t speak English, so it’s quite hard for them to communicate. Johannes, however, does speak English and those two get on with each other much faster, which leads to a bit of a drama. This film presents… I don’t want to say “problem” (because some women consider it a huge chance for themselves) but perhaps the disturbing practice of treating young women from less privileged families/countries as living toys for wealthy men. Indeed, Ulrik is not a millionaire, yet he’s living in a very well-developed country and has certain assets, which is a dream of many in other parts of the world. And I feel like in this story all three characters are taking their life lesson and end up with a bit different idea of our reality. It’s a slow production and very Scandinavian, but even if you’re not used to such, I recommend you to try.

My rating: 6/10
S.

Don’t drink before breakfast. “Another Round” (“Druk”, 2020)

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directed by Thomas Vinterberg
© 2020 Nordisk Film. All Rights Reserved.

There’s a tragic story behind this film, which you should know about. But first, let me tell you some basic pieces of information. This is the newest Vinterberg’s film, which also has been chosen to represent Denmark at the upcoming Academy Awards. It tells the story of four teachers – Martin (Mads Mikkelsen), Tommy (Thomas Bo Larsen), Peter (Lars Ranthe) and Nikolaj (Magnus Millang). They all teach at one gymnasium in Copenhagen and all of them feel like they’re wasting their life. The job has become incredibly boring and the students don’t even appreciate their teachers’ effort. One day, celebrating Nikolaj’s birthday, the men start talking about this one theory which says that it’s actually good for our minds and bodies to have a small amount of alcohol in blood. They decide to give it a try and begin to drink during the day. At first it’s just a small portion of alcohol, just to relax themselves and feel more motivated to work. However, at some point they’re slowly trying to drink more, hoping that their life would become even more and more pleasant. On one hand it’s a comedy, on the other it’s a drama that has a very dark background. And here’s something you should know. The person who inspired Vinterberg to make this film was actually his own daughter, Ida. She was telling her father about how young people in Denmark overuse alcohol, which is also one of the topics of the film. And that was supposed to be more of a comedy about how much influence alcohol has on our life. Because a lot of people drink, even if they are teachers, doctors, therapists, policemen or presidents. So we can only imagine how different our history would look like if there was no %. Unfortunately, right after they started shooting the film, Ida was killed in a car accident, which, as you can imagine, was an absolute tragedy for Vinterberg. After that, they decided to make this film a bit more empowering and “awakening to life”. Should this film get an Oscar? I don’t know, I would have to see other nominees. But I’m pretty sure I’d like it to be nominated this year. They deserve it because they presented one of the biggest taboo topics of humanity in a very different way. Thank you Ida for encouraging your father to make the film.

My rating: 7/10
S.