Two Danish docs to Berlin

Berlin International Film Festival has announced the selection two additional Danish films.

Jannik Splidsboel's documentary "Misfits", about three American teenagers struggling to be accepted as LGBT in a conservative society, will have its world premiere in the Panorama section. Phie Ambo's portrait of the biodynamic farmer Niels Stokholm "Good Things Await" is the opening film in the Culinary Cinema section and has inspired a dinner created by German chef Michael Hoffmann.

Misfits in Panorama

Jannik Splidsboel's "Misfits" follows three American teenagers grappling with the everyday consequences of being openly LGBT in the buckle of the Bible belt. In Tulsa, Oklahoma, between two of the city's two thousand churches, you find OpenArms Youth Project - the city's only youth center welcoming gay and transgender teenagers that have decided to come out in the middle of the Bible Belt. These kids are considered misfits as their wicked lifestyle does not fit into Tulsa's conservative and religious society. "Misfits" is a film about being yourself, even though that choice may cause great personal costs. The three characters in the film, Larissa, Benny and "D", all go to the center where they find love and support to confront the daily drama they are living because of their sexuality.

Jannik Splidsboel has directed a variety of short and documentaries, including "How Are You" about artist duo Elmgreen & Dragset, which was invited to the Berlin Festival's Panorama section in 2011.

"Misfits" is produced by Sara Stockmann for Sontag Pictures. International sales are handles by Wide House.

Good Things Await in Culinary Cinema

Framegrab from "Good Things Await."

Phie Ambo's documentary "Good Things Await" is the opening film of the Culinary Cinema, which presents films about food and ecology. "Good Things Await" follows Danish farmer Niels Stokholm' and his fight with the authorities to run his farm – supplier to Copenhagen's acclaimed Noma restaurant – his way, biodynamically.

After the screening, the audience is invited to a dinner with a 3-course-menu prepared by German star chef Michael Hoffmann, inspired by the film. Niels Stockholm and his wife Rita Hansen delivers cheese from the farm. 

"Good Things Await" is produced by Malene Flindt Pedersen for Danish Documentary.

Already announced

• Jannik Hastrup og Flemming Quist Møller's Mini and the Mozzies and Ask Hasselbalch's Antboy are in the children's programme, Generation Kplus
• Christian Braad Thomsen's documentary Fassbinder – To Love without Demands is in the Panorama section
• Vibeke Bryld's Pebbles at Your Door and the Argentine-Danish co-production The Mad Half Hour by Leonardo Brzezicki are in Berlinale Shorts
• Vladimir Tomic' Flotel Europa is in the Forum section
• Joachim Fjelstrup is selected as Denmark's Shooting Star

Berlin International Film Festival / 5-15 February

Misfits

Jannik Splidsboel, 2015

In Tulsa, Oklahoma, between two of the city's two thousand churches, you find OpenArms Youth Project - the city's only youth center welcoming gay and transgender teenagers that have decided to come out in the middle of the Bible Belt. These kids are considered misfits, as their wicked lifestyle does not fit into Tulsa's conservative and religious society. Misfits is a film about being yourself, even though that choice may cause great personal costs.

Good Things Await

Phie Ambo, 2014

Niels is one of the last idealistic farmers in the agricultural country of Denmark. He makes some of the world's finest products, praised by the consumers, prized by the world's best restaurant, NOMA in Copenhagen, and nursed in harmony with the universe. But Niels' ways of farming in accordance with the planets and the primal instincts of the animals are not too popular with the authorities.

Jannik Splidsboel

Director. Born 1964, Denmark. Studied art and film in Copenhagen and Rome.

Phie Ambo

Director. Born 6/12 1973 (Anne-Sophie Ambo Nielsen). Phie Ambo graduated as documentary director from the National Film School of Denmark in 2003.