Klown II gearing up for Austin

Announcing a new wave of films Wednesday, the Austin Fantastic Fest has named three Danish titles as part of its 2015 line-up. From 24 September, audiences at America's largest genre film festival will have the chance to catch Mikkel Nørgaard's "Klown Forever," Anders Thomas Jensen's "Men & Chicken" and Bo Mikkelsen's "What We Become."

Klown Forever

In 2011, director Mikkel Nørgaard and the comedic duo of Casper Christensen and Frank Hvam won Best Comedy and Best Screenplay at Austin Fantastic Fest for "Klown". Now the filmmakers are bringing "Klown Forever" to the festival, the film adding a new chapter to the saga of Casper and Frank, two by now middle-aged comedians with success but still suffering from a spotty sense of propriety.

"Klown Forever" is produced by Jesper Zartov for Nutmeg Movies, and rights are handled by Protagonist Pictures. The film makes its North American debut at the Fantastic Fest, while L'Étrange Festival (3-13 September) in Paris marks the film's world premiere. Domestic release is set for 24 September.

Read all about the film in our interview with Casper Christensen and Frank Hvam: Starting from Instinct 

Men & Chicken Photo: Rolf Konow

Men & Chicken

Already a big local box-office success, Anders Thomas Jensen's pitch-dark comedy "Men & Chicken" is sought-after at festivals this fall. First stop on the circuit is L'Étrange Festival in Paris (3-13 September), next the Toronto Film Festival (10-20 September) – and now Austin Fantastic Fest from 24 September.

"Men & Chicken" is Anders Thomas Jensen's first stab in ten years at directing a feature film. Since 2005's "Adam's Apples" and before, Jensen has worked as a scriptwriter on more than 30 feature films, including Susanna Bier's Oscar winner "In a Better World." Producers are Kim Magnusson and Tivi Magnusson for M&M Productions, and LevelK is handling international sales.

Find more about the film in festival programmer Todd Brown's interview: A Very, Very Odd Tale

What We Become Photo: Christian Geisnæs

What We Become

Bo Mikkelsen is making his feature film debut with a horror story set in a Copenhagen suburb. "What We Become" centres on a family whose lives take a dramatic turn when a mysterious and deadly flu epidemic causes havoc in the town. Austin Fantastic Fest marks the film's world premiere.

Bo Mikkelsen graduated as a director from the alternative film school Super16 and has made a number of short fiction films, including "Tabu" produced by Nicolas Winding Refn's regular collaborator Lene Børglum.

The film is produced by Sara Namer for Meta Film, with Paris-based Indiesales handling distribution rights. Danish release is set for 3 March 2016.

Austin Fantastic Fest / 24 September – 1 October 2015

Klown Forever

Mikkel Nørgaard, 2015

Follow-up to "Klown" from 2010: Five years have passed, and Casper and Frank are standing at a crossroad in their lives and friendship. Casper has moved to Hollywood to pursue his dream of fame while Frank, now the father of two small children, is engulfed in the routines of family life. What is it they want? And what do they really mean to each other, when it all comes down to it? In an attempt to save their friendship, Frank travels to Los Angeles - but as always, nothing works out quite as planned when Frank and Casper head off on an adventure.

Men & Chicken

Anders Thomas Jensen, 2015

Gabriel and Elias are brothers, but very different from one another. Gabriel is a worn down university professor and Elias is masturbating fulltime, he is a man, whose only concern is women and trivial knowledge. During a lecture Gabriel receives a phone call telling him that their father has died.

What We Become

Bo Mikkelsen, 2016

The setting is a residential street in the idyllic town of Sorgenfri. Our focus is on a family of four. Their daily life changes abruptly, when a deadly virus afflicts the town.

Mikkel Nørgaard

Director. Born 1974, Denmark. Graduated in direction from the National Film School of Denmark, 2001.

Anders Thomas Jensen

Screenwriter, director. Born 6 April 1972. Self-taught.

Bo Mikkelsen

Director. Born 1973. Graduated as a director from the alternative film school Super16 in 2007.