The news came today as The Academy of Motion Picture, Arts & Sciences (AMPAS) announced the nominated films and filmmakers for the 95th Academy Awards, which is taking place on March 12th in Los Angeles.
Claus Ladegaard, CEO of the Danish Film Institute and Chairman of the Danish Oscar submitting Committee says:
"Kudos to Danish film! In ‘A House Made of Splinters’ Director Simon Lereng Wilmont has managed to create a film that exposes the deep marks and casualties left by the long war in Ukraine, especially among children when families are torn apart. Since its world premiere a year ago at the Sundance Festival, the film has screened across continents, and now it has qualified for an Oscar nomination in the Documentary Feature Length category.
With 'Ivalu', Anders Walter and Pipaluk K. Jørgensen have managed to create an important and poetic story from Greenland about abuse and suicide. It is fully deserved that the film now advances in the Oscar-race with the nomination in the Live Action Short category. Congratulations to all involved."
A House Made of Splinters
A House Made of Splinters
In this war-worn and impoverished corner of Eastern Ukraine where addiction casts a long shadow, there sits a safe haven for children temporarily removed from their parents. A House Made of Splinters follows three kids awaiting their fate— will they go back or move on to a new home while a group of dedicated social workers create small moments of joy and respite from childhoods all but lost.
Filmmaker Simon Lereng Wilmont returns with a follow-up to his acclaimed first feature, The Distant Barking of Dogs, offering a unique look into how the long-term consequences of war on a society already under strain impacts the most vulnerable.
Simon Lereng Wilmont's ‘A House Made of Splinters’ received the Sundance Film Festival's award for Best Directing in the International Documentary Competition in January. The film, set in Eastern Ukraine, portrays the devastating impact of war on poor families living near the front line. It follows a dedicated group of social workers who work tirelessly in a unique orphanage to provide a safe haven for children while state authorities and courts determine their fate.
This film is a follow-up to the director's previous work ‘The Distant Barking of Dogs’ which also brings the audience to the lives of children in war-torn Eastern Ukraine. The film is produced by Monica Hellström for Final Cut for Real.
Ivalu
Oscar-winning director Anders Walter's ‘Ivalu’ tells the story of a young girl, Pipaluk, and her search for her missing older sister in a Greenlandic settlement. Pipaluk is plagued by the disappearance of her sister, Ivalu, and the indifference of her father. In her dreams, Pipaluk is guided by a raven that leads her to Ivalu. When a raven appears to her in the morning, Pipaluk follows it. The film interweaves Greenlandic myths and legends into a poetic journey that reveals the harsh reality of Pipaluk's life.
Pipaluk K. Jørgensen has co-directed 'Ivalu'. Anders Walter wrote the screenplay for the film based on a graphic novel of the same name. The film is produced by Rebecca Pruzan and Kim Magnusson for M&M Productions, which has produced multiple Oscar-winning short films. The film is co-produced by Emile Hertling Péronard and Pipaluk K. Jørgensen for Polarama Greenland.
Danish films and the Oscars
In recent years Danish films have had a strong presence at the Academy Awards with numerous Oscar nominations and a four Oscar wins in the International Feature Film category (1988, 1989, 2011 & 2021).
Last year was no exception when the animated feature ‘Flee’ was nominated for Best International Film as well as Best Animation Film and Best Documentary, and Martin Strange-Hansen’s ‘On My Mind’ was nominated in the Live Action Short category.
Here is an overview of Danish Oscar entries in the International Feature Film category over the last ten years:
2022 Flee / Jonas Poher Rasmussen / Oscar nomination in three categories
2021 Another Round / Thomas Vinterberg / Oscar winner and “Best Director” nomination
2020 Queen of Hearts / May el-Toukhy
2019 The Guilty / Gustav Möller / Oscar shortlist
2018 You Disappear / Peter Schønau Fog
2017 Land of Mine / Martin Zandvliet / Oscar nomination
2016 A War / Tobias Lindholm / Oscar nomination
2015 Sorrow and Joy / Nils Malmros
2014 The Hunt / Thomas Vinterberg / Oscar nomination
2013 A Royal Affair / Nikolaj Arcel / Oscar nomination
For more information on the nominations and awards for Danish films at the Oscars, please visit our Oscar page where you can find a comprehensive list of all the Danish films that have been nominated and awarded in the International Feature Film category and other categories over the years.
