One
of the most remarkable European film releases of the last months is
undoubtedly Danish director Lone Scherfig's romantic comedy 'Italian for
Beginners'. Critically acclaimed and a blockbuster at the national box
office with over 700,000 admissions, this film was a favourite at the
recently held International Film Festival in Berlin where it swept away
four of the top prizes: Special Audience Award, Ecumenical Award, the
FIPRESCI Award (International Film Critics' Association) and the Silver
Bear Jury Award. The film also received a number of national awards.
Another recipient of
international accolades is director of photography, Eric Kress, who
recently won three international awards: two for his contribution in
Kaspar Rostrup and Nordisk Films drama 'A Place Nearby' for which he
received the Da Vinci Acknowledgement at Palm Springs and the Special
Award of the Polish Film Committee at the International Film Festival of
the Camera Image at Tórun. The third prize was the Kodak Nordic Vision
Award at Göteborg for his work in Anders Thomas Jensen and M & M
Productions' buddy movie 'Flickering Lights'.
In Denmark Kress received yet another award
early February from the Danish Film Academy, a Robert for Best Cinematography
for 'Flickering Lights', and Sunday 4th March at the Danish Bodil
Awards (hosted by the Association of Copenhagen Press Reviewers and
Journalists), Kress received the Johan Ankerstjerne Cinematography
Award.
Some thirty-six awards have been presented to
Danish professionals and their films during the past two months. For research purposes
an Excel file listing these awards may be requested at vickis@dfi.dk.
For further information:
Article 'Danish Film on a Confident High', February
2001: http://www.dfi.dk/sitemod/moduler/index_english.asp?pid=4040
Article on Kress in FILM
#09, page 26, May 2000: http://www.dfi.dk/sitemod/moduler/index_english.asp?pid=2060
Italian for Beginners:
http://www.dfi.dk/dfi/english/featurefilms/italian.html
A Place Nearby: http://www.dfi.dk/dfi/english/featurefilms/placenearby.html
Flickering Lights: http://www.dfi.dk/dfi/english/featurefilms/flickering.html