Jørgen Leth's anthropological films — first DVD

Jørgen Leth's entire cinematic works are being compiled into six thematic DVD volumes and will be published over the next two years by the Danish Film Institute (DFI).

The first volume is available 14 June, Leth's 70th birthday. The project is financially supported by Møllehegnet Holding. All films on the DVDs include English subtitles.

Over five decades, Jørgen Leth has created a cinematic oeuvre that is unique in all respects. In more than 40 films, Leth has maintained his experimental approach to the medium, exploring film as language, testing film's possibilities and limitations. Coming from a starting point in language-conscious modernist poetry, Leth has examined the world not only through language but through the film camera's lens, showing images combined with a singularly detached, descriptive tone all the while carried by an aesthetic and sensuous delight in images.

The first volume contains the anthropological films: "The Perfect Human" (1968), "Life in Denmark" (1972), "Good and Evil" (1975), "Notes on Love (1989) and "The Five Obstructions" (2003). Also included in this DVD set is a booklet and extra notes on a new production entitled "Tropical Mix".

The next five volumes will be compiled into different themes: sport, travel, biographical portraits, fiction and early experiments. Included in each of the volumes are three DVDs, extra material and a booklet.

The first volume is available for DKK 299 (Euro 40) at the DFI Video & Book Shop www.dfi.dk/shop.

For further information:

DFI magazine: FILM #Special issue/LethDFI Danish Films: Jørgen Leth filmography (English)

DFI National Filmography: Jørgen Leth filmography (Danish only)