Following the impressive line-up in previous years, Danish cinema once again has a strong and diverse presence at The Times BFI 51st London Film Festival 2007, where seven Danish films will screen.
In addition, award-winning Danish director Susanne Bier's first English language film "Things We Lost in the Fire", a US production, is selected for the American Airlines Gala.
Feature films in Cinema Europa programmeCinema Europa will screen four feature films. Two films from the production company Zentropa: "Echo", a second feature by Anders Morgenthaler, whose feature film debut "Princess" was chosen for Directors' Fortnight in Cannes in 2006. And "Island of Lost Souls", also a second feature, by director Nikolaj Arcel, whose first feature was the box-office success "Kings Game". Trust Film Sales handle both "Echo" and "Island of Lost Souls".
From Thura Film is the award-winning feature for young people "The Substitute", by Ole Bornedal. The film stars Paprika Steen, well known for her roles in "Festen"/"The Celebration", "The Idiots", and "Open Hearts". From Nordisk Film is Paprika Steen's second film as director, "With Your Permission". The film received a world premiere at Toronto Film Festival, where programmer Steve Gravestock described Steen as one of the most daring and outrageous filmmakers working today. Both "The Substitute" and "With Your Permission" are handled by Nordisk Film International Sales.
Short film programmesTwo films are selected for the programme Animated Shorts for Younger Audiences: Esben Toft Jacobsen's "Having a Brother", which was selected for Generation at Berlin International Film Festival 2007 (edit 22.10.2007: the film received a Special Mention in the programme Generation Kplus), and "Hush!" by Peter Hausner and Snobar Azedien. Selected for the International Short Film Programme is Mikkel Munch-Fals' "Partus", which won a Danish Robert this year for Best Short Fiction / Animation.
For further information:
DFI FactsheetsEchoHaving a BrotherHushIsland of Lost SoulsPartusThe SubstituteWith Your Permission
London Film Festival(17 October - 1 November 2007)www.lff.org.uk
Danish Film Institute (DFI)Anne Marie Kürstein, +45 3374 3609, kurstein@dfi.dkLizette Gram Mygind, +45 3374 3506, +45 2482 3758, lizetteg@dfi.dk