Only God Forgives in Munich

Nicolas Winding Refn's "Only God Forgives" is selected for the CineMasters Competition at Munich International Film Festival (28 June-6 July).

In 2012, Munich paid homage to Refn in a retrospective series. This year, the festival celebrates one of his heroes, 84-year-old Chilean cult director Alejandro Jodorowsky, whom Refn often cites as a great inspiration and has dedicated "Only God Forgives" to.

"I think that Jodorowsky always reminds you that if you just make the film the way you want to make it, in the end it will be okay. I always believe the chief enemy of creativity is being safe and in good taste. So Jodorowsky is the man," said Refn in Screen Editor Wendy Mitchell's interview with the director in FILM Digital Cannes Issue 2013

Refn will join Jodorowsky in the festival's "Filmmakers Live" masterclass on 29 June.

Main prize in Sydney

Nicolas Winding Refn received the Sydney Film Prize and a $60,000 cash prize for "Only God Forgives" at the Sydney Film Festival on 16 June. The prize is awarded in recognition of courageous, audacious and cutting-edge film.

"In the true spirit of the Competition criteria, we award a visually mesmerizing and disturbing film, which polarised our opinions," said the Official Competition jury, headed by actor Hugo Weaving.

This is the second time Refn takes home the Sydney Prize. He won for the British prison thriller "Bronson" in 2009.

North American premiere at LA Film Fest

On 20 June "Only God Forgives" enjoyed its North American premiere at a gala screening at Los Angeles Film Festival (13-23 June). The film will have a general release in the US on July 19, where it will screen at selected cinemas in New York before heading to Comic Con in San Diego.

Six Danish films in Munich

In all, these films are selected for Munich:

• "Only God Forgives" by Nicolas Winding Refn in the CineMasters programme
• "Northwest" by Michael Noer in the CineVision programme
• "A Hijacking" by Tobias Lindholm in the Spotlight programme
• "Expedition to the End of the World" by Daniel Dencik in the International Independents programme
• "Kidd Life" by Andreas Johnsen in the International Independents programme
• "Otto Is a Rhino" by Kenneth Kainz in the Kinderfilmfest programme

Munich International Film Festival (28 June-6 July) 

Only God Forgives

Nicolas Winding Refn, 2013

Julian runs a Thai boxing club in Bangkok as a front for the family's drugs smuggling operation. When Julian's brother Billy is killed, their mother Crystal shows up in the city to bring the body of her firstborn home to America and to get Julian to avenge his dead brother.

Northwest

Michael Noer, 2013

A gangsterfilm set in the suburbs of Copenhagen. Casper, 18, the oldest of three siblings, survives life on the streets by committing burglaries for the neighbourhood boss, Jamal. When Casper gets an offer to work for Jamal's rival Björn, he jumps at the chance for a better life, making his way into a world of drugs and prostitution.

A Hijacking

Tobias Lindholm, 2012

The cargo ship MV Rozen is heading for harbour when it is hijacked by Somali pirates in the Indian Ocean. Amongst the men on board are the ship's cook Mikkel and the engineer Jan who, along with the rest of the seamen, are taken hostage in a cynical game of life and death. With the demand for a ransom of millions of dollars a psychological drama unfolds between the CEO of the shipping company and the Somali pirates.

Expedition to the End of the World

Daniel Dencik, 2013

A real adventure film - for the 21st century. On a three-mast schooner packed with artists, scientists and ambitions worthy of Noah or Columbus, we set off for the end of the world: the rapidly melting massifs of North-East Greenland. An epic journey where the brave sailors on board encounter polar bear nightmares, Stone Age playgrounds and entirely new species.

Kidd life

Andreas Johnsen, 2012

It only took Kidd, a young Danish rapper, a couple of months to become known nationwide. Until spring 2011 he was homeless and poor, but then everything changed. Kidd and his crew uploaded a music video on YouTube and in a couple of hours the video hit 2000 views - today it has reached more than a million.

Otto Is a Rhino

Kenneth Kainz, 2013

Topper thinks summer vacation is boring. He misses his father who is sailing the seven seas. He can't figure out Sille who's cute.

Nicolas Winding Refn

Born 1970, Denmark. Director. Lived in New York between the age of 8 and 17.

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