The Absent One and I Am Here to Fantastic Fest

The Austin Fantastic Fest, celebrating its 10th edition this year, is the largest genre film festival in the US specializing in thrillers, horror, fantasy and sci-fi. Among a fresh crop of films for the 2014 lineup announced Wednesday are Mikkel Nørgaard's thriller "The Absent One" and Anders Morgenthaler's English-language thriller-drama "I Am Here" starring Kim Basinger. Both films will be enjoying their world premieres at the festival.

The Absent One by Mikkel Nørgaard

Mikkel Nørgaard returns to Fantastic Fest after his highly popular "Klown" took home the prize for Best Comedy in 2011. 

"The Absent One," which is Nørgaard's second film in Zentropa's Department Q franchise based on Jussi Adler-Olsen's crime novels, reunites Nikolaj Lie Kaas and Fares Fares in a story about two young twins who are found brutally murdered in a summer cottage in 1994. A number of clues point in the direction of a group of young upper class students from a nearby boarding school, but the case is closed as a local outsider pleads guilty and is convicted for the murders.

"The Absent One" is adapted for the screen by Nikolaj Arcel and Rasmus Heisterberg. The film is produced by Louise Vesth, Jonas Bagger and Peter Aalbæk Jensen for Zentropa with support from the Danish Film Institute. TrustNordisk handles international sales. Domestic release is set for 2 October.

Read interview with Mikkel Nørgaard I Want to BOOM! Open It Up.

ON A QUEST. Kim Basinger plays a woman who desperately wants a child in Anders Morgenthaler's "I Am Here," world premiering at Fantastic Fest. Photo: Christian Geisnæs. 

I Am Here by Anders Morgenthaler

Anders Morgenthaler's "I Am Here" stars Kim Basinger as a successful business executive, struggling to fulfill her greatest wish of all: to bring a child into the world. After suffering yet another miscarriage, a doctor informs Maria that she's too old to carry a child and her whole world comes crashing down. Devastated and unable to accept her fate, Maria sets out on a desperate and perilous quest to realize her dream of motherhood. 

Also on the cast of Morgenthaler's English-language thriller-drama are Peter Stormare, Jordan Prentice and Sebastian Schipper.

Morgenthaler's feature film debut, the animated "Princess," opened Director's Fortnight at Cannes 2006 and was praised by critics for its unique visual style and no-nonsense approach to controversial subjects. Morgenthaler made the live-action drama "Echo" in 2007 and returned to animation in 2009 with his third feature, the family film "The Apple and the Worm".

Morgenthaler wrote the script for "I Am Here", which is produced by Marie Gade Denessen and Julie Lind-Holm for Zentropa with support from the Danish Film Institute. TrustNordisk handles international sales.

Read more about "I Am Here" Extreme Spaces and People.

Festival site

Austin Fantastic Fest / 18-25 September 2014
 

The Absent One

Mikkel Nørgaard, 2014

In 1994, two young twins are found brutally murdered in a summer cottage. A number of clues points in the direction of a group of young upper class students from a nearby boarding school, but the case is closed as a local outsider pleads guilty and is convicted for the murders. When the case ends up on Carls Mørck's desk 20 years later, he soon realises that something is terribly wrong.

I am Here

Anders Morgenthaler, 2014

Maria is a successful business executive, struggling to fulfill her greatest wish of all: to bring a child into the world. After suffering yet another miscarriage, a doctor informs Maria that she is too old to carry a child - and her whole world comes crashing down. Devastated and unable to accept her fate, Maria sets out on a desperate and perilous quest to realise her dream of motherhood.