Five Danish Films on EFA Shortlist

Among the 50 feature films and 15 documentary films shortlisted for the European Film Awards are five titles from Denmark – one documentary title and four fiction films, including "Land of Mine" and "The Commune" which both feature on the Danish Oscar shortlist for 2017. 

The five Danish films on the EFA shortlist are:

"Land of Mine" by Martin Zandvliet

"Land of Mine" follows a group of German prisoners of war after the capitulation in 1945 as they are forced to remove landmines along the Danish west coast. The film screened at Sundance and was the opening film of the first ever Platform competition at the Toronto Film Festival 2015. It has since won more than 20 awards at international festivals, including Göteborg's Dragon Award for Best Nordic Film. The film is also been nominated for the Nordic Council Film Prize 2016.

"The Commune" by Thomas Vinterberg

When Erik inherits a house from his parents, he and his wife Anna decide to establish a commune. "The Commune" had its international premiere at the 2016 Berlinale, where lead Trine Dyrholm won the Best Actress Award. Magnolia Pictures have recently bought the rights to the North American distribution of the film. 

"Sparrows" by Rúnar Rúnarsson

Coming-of-age drama "Sparrows" follows 16-year-old Ari as he is made to live with his estranged father for the summer. The film had its world premiere in the Contemporary World Cinema programme at the Toronto Film Festival 2015. It has since won more than a dozen awards at international festivals, including Best Film at the San Sebastian and Sao Paolo Film Festivals.

"A War" by Tobias Lindholm

"A War" tells the story of company commander Claus who is posted in Afghanistan and finds himself accused of a war crime when he returns to Denmark. The film had its world premiere in the Orizzonti competition programme of the 2015 Venice Film Festival and was nominated for the Foreign Language Film title at the 2016 Oscars. 

Tobias Lindholm's film has also been nominated for the EFA People's Choice Award, for which voting closes on 31 October. See the selection and vote here.

"Déjà Vu" by Jon Bang Carlsen 

The film has been shortlisted as one of the 15 films in the documentary selection and was also selected for the 2015 IDFA Documentary Film Festival in Amsterdam. "Déjà Vu" is an autobiographical story, featuring images and clips from several of the more than 40 films Bang Carlsen has directed throughout his career.

The Awards

The European Film Awards take place each year to honour the greatest achievements in European cinema.

A total of 22 awards are presented through several different selection processes. See full list of award categories here

The 3000 members of the European Film Academy will choose from the shortlist of 50 feature films and nominate films in each of the following categories: European Film, Director, Actor, Actress and Screenwriter. These nominations will be announced on 5 November at the Seville European Film Festival.

Five films from the documentary shortlist will ultimately be nominated for the European Documentary Award.

The Awards Ceremony will take place in Wrocław, Poland, on 10 December. 

European Film Awards

Land of Mine

Martin Zandvliet, 2015

Taking place in May 1945 only a few days after the end of the war, the film tells the story of how a group of German prisoners of war were brought to Denmark and forced to disarm the two million land mines that had been scattered along the West Coast by the German occupying forces. In charge of the enfeebled young men performing the dangerous task is Sergeant Carl Leopold Rasmussen. Like so many of his fellow Danes, he has a deep hatred for the Germans after having suffered five years of hardships during the occupation.

The Commune

Thomas Vinterberg, 2016

Erik and Anna are a couple of academics with a dream. With their daughter Freja, they set up a commune in Erik's huge villa in an upmarket district of Copenhagen. With the family at the centre of the story, we are invited into their dream of a real commune.

Sparrows

Rúnar Rúnarsson, 2015

The films follows Ari, 16, who has been living with his mother in Reykjavik and is suddenly sent back to the remote Westfjords to live with his father Gunnar. Here he has to navigate a difficult relationship with his father, and he finds his childhood friends changed. In these hopeless and declining surroundings, Ari has to step up and find his way.

A War

Tobias Lindholm, 2015

Company commander Claus Michael Pedersen and his men are stationed in an Afghan province. Meanwhile, back in Denmark, Claus' wife Maria is trying to hold everyday life together with a husband at war and three children missing their father. During a routine mission, the soldiers are caught in heavy crossfire and in order to save his men, Claus makes a decision that has grave consequences for him - and his family back home.

Deja vu

Jon Bang Carlsen, 2016

The documentary began years ago in director Jon Bang Carlsen's childhood home in rural Denmark when he committed a dreadful act that still reverberates within him. His father had hung a painting of Jesus above his bed. Every evening before closing his eyes, he would beg the man on the cross to look after his family.