Since its awardwinning world premiere at the Berlinale, "A Royal Affair" has fared exceptionally well at both domestic and international boxoffices. Nikolaj Arcel's period film stars Mads Mikkelsen, Alicia Wikander and Mikkel Boe Følsgaard in a dramatisation of a crucial chapter in Danish history.
Now the film is up for one of the highest Nordic accolades as the Danish candidate for this year's Nordic Council Film Prize.
The jury, consisting of Danish film critics Per Juul Carlsen, Jakob Wendt Jensen and Eva Novrup Redvall, states in its motivation: "With 'A Royal Affair' Nikolaj Arcel has transformed a slice of Danish history into a dynamic rendering of universal themes such as the blinding of idealism and the corruption of power. The characters in the film are 200 years old, but the actors' memorable performances and a multifaceted script makes you feel that you can almost drink a beer or talk football with them."
"A Royal Affair" won the Silver Bear in Berlin for Best Script (Nikolaj Arcel, Rasmus Heisterberg) and Best Actor (Mikkel Boe Følsgaard). The film is produced by Sisse Graum Jørgensen, Louise Vesth and Meta Louise Foldager for Zentropa.
"A Royal Affair" will be competing with "The Punk Syndrome" (Finland), "Either Way" (Iceland), "The Orheim Company" (Norway), and "Play" (Sweden).
About the Nordic Council Film Prize
The Nordic Council Film Prize is awarded to a feature film rooted in Nordic culture. The prize is shared between the film's director, scriptwriter and producer, underlining the fact that film as an art form is the result of a close collaboration between these three main functions.
The prize will be announced in October and presented in conjunction with the Nordic Council's Fall Session in Helsingfors on 31 October. The honour is accompanied by a cash prize of DKK 350,000 (47,000 euro).
The Nordic Council Film Prize, administered by Nordisk Film & TV Fond, was introduced in 2002. The Danish member of the jury for the 2012-prize is film critic Per Juul Carlsen.