Three films on Oscar shortlist

Today, 15 August, the Danish Oscar committee decided upon a shortlist of three films, one of which will be submitted as the Danish candidate in the Foreign Language Film category. The final candidate is expected to be announced on Thursday, 26 September.

The films have been selected by a committee set up by the Danish Film Institute and film industry organisations.

The Hunt by Thomas Vinterberg

Mads Mikkelsen won the Best Actor award in Cannes in 2012 for his performance as Lucas, a mild-mannered kindergarten teacher whose life comes crashing down when a young girl makes false accusations against him. Since its world premiere in Cannes, "The Hunt" has won a host of awards and nominations, including a European Film Award (and an additional four nominations) and also enjoyed critical success at its openings in the UK and USA.

"The Hunt" is scripted by Vinterberg and writer-director Tobias Lindholm ("Borgen", "A Hijacking"), and producers are Morten Kaufmann and Sisse Graum Jørgensen for Zentropa. 

The Act of Killing by Joshua Oppenheimer

Joshua Oppenheimer's highly commended documentary is produced by Danish production company Final Cut for Real. Since its official world premiere at the Toronto film festival, "The Act of Killing" has created a stir worldwide, including in Indonesia, with its chilling portrayal of the killers from the Indonesian genocide 1965-66.

"The Act of Killing" is produced by Signe Byrge Sørensen and Anne Köhncke for Final Cut for Real.

Northwest by Michael Noer

Michael Noer's "Northwest" enjoyed its world premiere at the Rotterdam film festival and won the international film critics' award in Göteborg. The film was selected for the New York Tribeca Film Festival and also screened in Münich and Karlovy Vary.

Noer, who made his first feature "R" with Tobias Lindholm ("Borgen", "A Hijacking"), takes us to a rundown Copenhagen neighbourhood where Casper makes a living by selling stolen goods to a local gang leader. When Casper turns towards a more professional outfit to advance himself, he slowly but surely finds himself caught up in a vicious circle that threatens to destroy him and his family.

"Northwest" is written by Noer and Rasmus Heisterberg, and is produced by René Ezra and Tomas Radoor for Nordisk Film.

All three films have received production support from the Danish Film Institute.

10 years of Oscar films from Denmark

2012 A Royal Affair / Nikolaj Arcel / Oscar nomination 
2011 Superclásico / Ole Christian Madsen / Oscar shortlist
2010 In a Better World / Susanne Bier / Oscar winner
2009 Terribly Happy / Henrik Ruben Genz
2008 Worlds Apart / Niels Arden Oplev
2007 The Art of Crying / Peter Schønau Fog
2006 After the Wedding / Susanne Bier / Oscar nomination
2005 Adam's Apples / Anders Thomas Jensen
2004 The Five Obstructions / Jørgen Leth and Lars von Trier
2003 Reconstruction / Christoffer Boe

The Hunt

Thomas Vinterberg, 2013

The 40-year-old divorced father, Lucas, is just about to be reunited with his son when he is accused of a crime he did not commit; and now a witch hunt starts in a small surburban town in Denmark. How long will he be able to endure it when his friends and his girlfriend also begins to doubt his innocence..

The Act of Killing

Joshua Oppenheimer, 2012

When the government of Indonesia was overthrown by the military in 1965, Anwar and his friends were promoted from small-time gang¬sters who sold movie theatre tickets on the black market to death squad leaders. They helped the army kill more than one million alleged communists, ethnic Chinese, and intellectuals in less than a year. As the executioner for the most notorious death squad in his city, Anwar himself killed hundreds of people with his own hands.

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.