23/03/2006

On March 30, four of Danish cinema’s most promising filmmakers – Pernille Fischer Christensen, Christoffer Boe, Anders Morgenthaler and Anders Rønnow Klarlund – will take part in a panel discussion at the NAT Film Festival in Copenhagen to discuss their visions and new creations, developed as part of the Danish Film Institute’s new subsidy scheme, New Danish Screen.

Headed by artistic director Vinca Wiedemann, this new initiative is jointly operated by the DFI, Danmarks Radio and TV2 Danmark. The programme has an approximate annual budget of €3.5m for developing and producing fiction films in various formats. It provides a financial platform without compromising the artistic development of each film, therefore promoting innovation.

New Danish Screen had a very successful launch at the last Berlinale, where its first ‘baby’, Pernilla Fischer Christensen’s directorial debut A Soap [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Lars Bredo Rahbek
interview: Pernille Fischer Christensen
film profile], won two major awards. Produced by Nimbus Film, the film had a total budget of €900,000, of which €535,000 came from the New Danish Screen.

Three others made for just over €1m for the DFI scheme will be released in Denmark this year. Offscreen is the third feature film by Christopher Boe, produced by the director’s usual partner Tine Grew Pfeiffer of Alphaville Pictures. Nicolas Bro gives an outstanding performance in this thriller about a man who fights desperately to win back his loved one. Princess is the feature debut of Anders Morgenthaler, 80% animation and 20% live action, which is revolutionary in style and content. The film was produced by Zentropa in co-production with Shotgun Pictures in Germany.

Lastly, How To Get Rid of the Others by Anders Rønnpw Klarlund is a satirical drama revealing the consequences of the Danish government’s New Copenhagen Criteria, a new policy aiming at securing the nation’s survival. It was produced by Louise Vesth for Zentropa Productions. Trust Film Sales already pre-sold Princess and How To Get Rid of Others to Filmfreak Distributie for Benelux, and is also handling A Soap.