In 2014 The Danish Film Institute and the Film Fund Hamburg Schleswig-Holstein signed a development agreement, designed to strengthen shared development projects of high artistic quality between Danish and German production companies. The aim was, among others, to give the projects an economic boost at an early stage, so that the German-Danish partners would have time to develop the content.
The agreement, which was initiated with a three-year trial period, has now been extended. In 2016 it was expanded to include documentaries, and now, as part of the latest extension, Danish-German animation projects can also receive grants from the scheme.
The first project to receive funding from the initiative is Kasper Torsting’s World War 1-drama ‘In Love & War’. With the Danish premiere coming up this fall coinciding with the 100 years anniversary for the termination of the war, the feature film is also the first to be shown to an audience.
Claus Ladegaard, CEO of The Danish Film Institute, says about the extension of the project:
"Kasper Torsting's "In Love and War," the first film to premiere under the agreement, tells a shared story from WWI, and it illustrates in the best possible way the potential of the collaboration between our two countries. Now that the agreement is extended to include animation films, even more film professionals will hopefully benefit from the strengthened Danish-German film relations."
Maria Köpf, CEO of the Film fund Hamburg Schleswig-Holstein says:
“Denmark is one of the most essential partners for the region Hamburg Schleswig-Holstein. With the continuation of our German-Danish development initiative we wish to tie the film producers from both regions even closer together and to strengthen the development of the shared content.”
Danish-German war story
‘In War & Love’ is produced by Fridthjof Film with co-production by the German partners Nordfilm Kiel and Tamtam Film alongside the Czech company Film United. The Danish Film Institute has funded the film through the Market Scheme, while the German Film fund has provided co-production funding.
As the first feature ever, ‘In Love & War’ portrays the shared Danish-German history from World War I, and the film is primarily shot in the area near the border between the two countries – some in the southern part of Jutland, Denmark, and some around the German city Flensburg.
The story, which is based on true events, follows Esben, played by Sebastian Jessen, who stages his own death to escape from the war and be reunited with his wife and son – only to realise that a charming German soldier has taken his place in the family house hold.
