Nordisk Film & TV Fond has today anounced the winner of Nordic Council Film Prize:
Wild, visually beautiful, shockingly violent
The jury summarises its choice of winner: "Lars von Trier's "Antichrist" is a wild, visually beautiful and shockingly violent film about sorrow, rage and guilt. Disturbing and moving at the same time it explores the chaos that invades the two characters' lives following the death of their young son. It is a passionate account of the irrational forces of emotions and nature, which neither reason nor cognitive therapy can master. It breaks down the boundaries between inner and outer realities, as it digs deep into the innermost beings of its protagonists."
"Antichrist" had its world premiere in Cannes 2009, where it competed in the main competition in which Charlotte Gainsbourg won the award for the best actress. The film which has since taken part in festivals around the world had its Danish premiere in May 2009 with subsequent premieres in Italy, Poland, France, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Iceland, Switzerland, Great Britain, Spain, Germany and Belgium. The USA premiere is 23 October. Following are openings of "Antichrist" in Holland and Austria, among others.
The film's producer Meta Foldager commented on the award:"It is with a great sense of pride, pleasure and honour on behalf of the film that I thank the Nordic Council for this recognition for Antichrist. I also want to thank all the brave and sound investors, institutions and people who have helped bring Lars von Trier's "Antichrist" into the world."
About the Film Prize
The Nordic Council Film Prize is awarded to a feature film of cultural value produced in the Nordic countries. This award is presented equally to the film's director, scriptwriter and producer, underlining that film as an art form is the result of close coöperation between these three main functions. The award — worth DKK 350,000 — will be presented in conjunction with the Nordic Council's Session in Stockholm on 27 October.
The Nordic Council Film Prize Jury 2009: Senior lecturer Anne Jerslev (Denmark), editor Johanna Grönqvist (Finland), author Sjon (Iceland), film critic Le LD Nguyen (Norway), film critic Eva af Geijerstam (Sweden).
The film prize was awarded for the first time in conjunction with the Council's 50th anniversary in 2002 and went to the Aki Kaurismäki for the Finnish film "The Man Without a Past". The Nordic Council Film Prize has been an annual recurring event since 2005 and has gone to Per Fly (2005) for the Danish film "Manslaughter", Josef Fares (2006) for the Swedish film "Zozo", Peter Schønau Fog (2007) for the Danish film "The Art of Crying", and Roy Andersson for the Swedish film "You, The Living."