Tómas Gislason

Director, editor, cinematographer, screenwriter. Born July 29,1961. Graduated as an editor from the National Film School of Denmark in 1982.

Gislason was admitted to the National Film School of Denmark at age 18, even though the school had a minimum age requirement of 21. He edited several of Lars von Trier's student films such as Trier's graduation film 'Images of Liberation' (1982).

Gislason's collaboration with von Trier continued after film school, and he served as editor and co-writer of several of von Trier's films. He won a Danish Robert for 'Element of Crime' (1984). In 2019 he co-directed the documentary 'The Missing Films' about Lars von Trier.

In addition to his collaboration with Trier, he edited other directors' fiction and non-fiction films. Among others, 'The World of Buster' (1984) and 'Time Out' (1988).

Gislason made his directorial debut in 1994 with 'Heart and Soul', a documentary portrait of the filmmaker Jørgen Leth. Since then, he has directed a string of highly personal documentaries, often addressing political subjects and always taking off from the director's curiosity, fascination and fear. 'Patrioterne' is a road television documentary about American right-wing extremism in the '90s. 'Maximum Penalty' is about the author Ole Sohn's attempt to uncover the fate of two Danish communists during Stalin's purges in 1930s Moscow. "Overcoming" tracks the CSC cycling team up to and during the 2004 Tour de France.

Apart from "P.O.V. - Point of View," a fiction film about a young Danish woman bumming around California, Gislason's filmography mainly numbers documentaries.

In 2001, Gislason founded a production company, Funk Film. He has taught at the National Film School of Denmark and directed numerous commercials.