21/01/2010

No less than two Danish films (Thomas Vinterberg’s Submarino [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Thomas Vinterberg
film profile] and Pernille Fischer Christensen’s A Family [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile]) and one Norwegian film (Hans Petter Moland’s A Somewhat Gentle Man [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Hans Petter Moland
film profile]) will compete for the Golden Bear at the upcoming 60th Berlinale (February 11-21).

Submarino marks the first appearance at the Berlinale for the acclaimed director of Celebration. The film focuses on two estranged brothers (Terribly Happy [+see also:
trailer
film profile] lead Jakob Cedergren and Peter Plaugborg) whose live bring them back together, forcing them to face dramatic childhood memories. The film was produced by Morten Kaufmann for Nimbus Film and will open in Denmark on March 25.

Fischer Christensen had her breakthrough at the 2006 Berlinale, where she won the Silver Bear and Best Debut award for A Soap [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Lars Bredo Rahbek
interview: Pernille Fischer Christensen
film profile]. Co-written with her usual collaborator, veteran Danish scriptwriter Kim Fupz Aakeson, A Family tells the story of a woman (Lene Maria Christensen of Terribly Happy) torn between her family obligations and her own aspirations. The film was produced by Sisse Graum Jørgensen and Vinca Wiedemann for Zentropa. It will open in Denmark on October 28 of this year.

Fupz Aakeson is also attached to A Somewhat Gentle Man, which will bring Moland back to the Berlinale competition six years after his selection with The Beautiful Country. In Moland’s first black comedy, internationally renowned Swedish actor Stellan Skarsgård (who also starred in Moland’s Zero Kelvin and Aberdeen) plays Ulrich, a criminal just released from prison. His son leads a normal life but Ulrich is not sure whether he should also settle down, or do one last job. The film was produced by Finn Gjerdrum and Stein B. Kvae (Paradox). It will be released in Norway in March.

A Somewhat Gentle Man and A Family are both sold by TrustNordisk, and Submarino by The Match Factory.