Four Danish films to Toronto


Four Danish feature films have been selected for North America's most prestigious film festival, Toronto International Film Festival (06-15 September 2007). All four film directors will be present in Toronto for the discussion following the first screening of their films.

Two world premieres: "Nietzsche" and "With Your Permission""The Early Years — Erik Nietzsche Part 1", based on Lars von Trier's film-school reminiscences, is directed by Jacob Thuesen, and will screen in the programme Contemporary World Cinema. In his presentation of the film on Toronto's website, Steve Gravestock sees the film as being "brilliantly offensive and driven by a kind of cruel affection", and concludes that the film "represents something truly new" and "somehow seems more honest than any traditional biography". The film is produced by Sisse Graum Jørgensen and Marie Gade for Zentropa, and sold by Trust Film Sales.

"With Your Permission", Paprika Steen's second feature film as director, is selected for the Discovery programme. Gravestock describes Steen as a filmmaker with a genuinely distinctive voice, and notes that the film confirms Steen as one of the most daring and outrageous filmmakers working today. "With Your Permission" is produced by Leila Vestgaard and Thomas Heinesen for Nordisk Film, and sold by Nordisk Film International Sales.

International premiere: "Just Like Home""Just Like Home", directed by Lone Scherfig and produced by Sisse Graum Jørgensen for Zentropa, is also selected for Contemporary World Cinema. In his write-up of the film, Gravestock concludes that "Just Like Home" is "beautifully paced and structured, boasting a slew of disarming performances. It's driven by Scherfig's genuine affection for her characters. (…) though Scherfig is gentle with each specific character's eccentric (…) behaviour, the film is harsher in its overall depiction of this insular society's collective neuroses. In some ways, the film plays like a recasting of Gabriel García Márquez's novella, "In Evil Hour" — a bracingly comic one". The film is sold by Trust Film Sales.

"The Substitute" in Sprockets Family Zone Ole Bornedal's "The Substitute" will screen in the festival's Sprockets Family Zone programme. Jane Schoettle describes the film in the Toronto programme as "colourful and energetic as viewers of any age could hope for". A box office success in Denmark, the film is already sold to a number of countries. "The Substitute" is produced by Michael Obel for Thura Film, and sold by Nordisk Film International Sales.

For further information:Toronto International Film FestivalDFI factsheetsJust Like HomeThe Early Years – Erik Nietzsche Part 1The SubstituteWith Your Permission

Danish Film Institute (DFI)Lizette Gram Mygind, +45 3374 3506, +45 2482 3758, lizetteg@dfi.dkVicki Marie Synnott, +45 3374 3438, +45 5054 5011, vickis@dfi.dk