The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced this year's Oscar nominations and the Danish short film ‘Knight of Fortune’, directed by Lasse Lyskjær Noer, is nominated in the Live-action Short Film category.
Jacob Neiiendam, Head of the International Department at The Danish Film Institute, says:
"It is deeply impressive that we once again get a Danish film through to the Oscars. Compared to how few films we make each year, this is unparalleled on an international level. It is a testament to the international class of Danish filmmakers. For both International Feature and Documentary, this is the fourth year in a row we've had films shortlisted. That in itself is an achievement."
This year's Oscar show will take place in Los Angeles on Sunday, March 11th.
Knight of Fortune by Lasse Lyskjær Noer
Danish short film from 2022. Karl arrives at the chapel to say goodbye to his suddenly deceased wife, Karen. Karl can't bring himself to open the coffin and acknowledge his loss of his beloved Karen. He has no children and friends were something Karen took care of, so now he is alone and has no one to turn to for comfort. Karl tries to isolate himself in the bathroom, but when he meets Torben, who deals with his grief in a completely different way, openly and honestly, he sends Karl on an inner journey. But all is not as it seems.
The film is directed by Lasse Lyskjær Noer and produced by Christian Norlyk and Kim Magnusson for Jalabert Productions with support from Den Vestdanske Filmpulje. The cast includes Leif Andrée, Dick Kaysø, Jesper Lohmann, Dorte Rømer and Jens Jørn Spottag. Producer Kim Magnusson has previously won two Oscars for Best Short Film: in 1999 for 'Election Night' (1998) directed by Anders Thomas Jensen and in 2014 for Anders Walter's 'Helium' (2013). He has also been nominated for Oscars for 'Ernst & The Light' (1996), 'Wolfgang' (1997), 'Helmer & Son' (2006), 'Silent Nights' (2016) and 'Ivalu' (2023).
Danish films and the Oscars
Four Danish films have won an Oscar in the International Feature Film category: Thomas Vinterberg's 'Another Round' in 2021, Susanne Bier's 'In a Better World' in 2011, Bille August's 'Pelle the Conqueror' in 1989 and Gabriel Axel's 'Babette's Feast' in 1988.
For the 2023 Oscar finals, Simon Lereng Wilmont's documentary 'A House Made of Splinters' achieved a nomination in the category for Best Documentary Film and Anders Walter and Pipaluk K. Jørgensen's short film 'Ivalu' was nominated in the category Live Action Short.
Below is an overview of Danish Oscar entries in the International Feature Film category over the last 10 years (sorted by awards ceremony year):
2024 / The Promised Land / Nikolaj Arcel / Oscar shortlist
2023 Holy Spider / Ali Abbasi / Oscar shortlist
2022 Flee / Jonas Poher Rasmussen / Oscar nomination
2021 Another Round / Thomas Vinterberg / Oscar winner
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