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Few actors command the screen like Mads Mikkelsen. Known for his villains and antiheroes, Mikkelsen has tackled roles across nearly every genre. He’s played Bond villains, rogue archaeologists and even Hannibal Lecter. However, one of his most dramatic performances remains largely overlooked. Released in 2008, Flame and Citron is a war film that takes a different approach to the genre.

Based on true events, Flame and Citron is a film that refuses to feed the audience easy answers. Instead, it asks uncomfortable questions about duty, principles and survival, exposing the weaknesses of those who resist. But, despite its critical success, Flame and Citron remains relatively overlooked outside of Denmark. However, with its incredible performances, themes of resistance and art-house film status, it stands as one of the most unique WWII films ever made.

Flame and Citron Is One of the Largest Productions in the History of Danish Cinema

Flame and Citron...

Danish sales outfit Dr Sales, attached to the Sundance Grand Jury Prize winning doc “A New Kind of Wilderness,” has boarded another high-quality Norwegian documentary – “Phantoms of the Sierra Madre” by the multi-awarded Håvard Bustnes.

The epic and self-reflective film, made in partnership with the Mescalero Apache Tribe, is due to world premiere in the main Dox:Award competition of Copenhagen’s Cph:dox festival, running March 13-24.

Bustnes, Christian Aune Falch and Torstein Parelius are producing for Norway’s Upnorth Film, in co-production with Finland’s Napa Films. Executive producers are Bird Runningwater, a high-profile figure from the Cheyenne and Mescalero Apache tribes and former Sundance programmer, key film collaborator Pius Garcia, great-grandson of legendary Apache warrior Geronimo, as well as Upnorth’s Ingrid Galadriel Aune Falch.

In the film, established Danish screenwriter Lars K. Andersen embarks on a quest to locate a disappeared Apache tribe in Mexico. His odyssey filmed...

Copenhagen-based TrustNordisk has inked multiple deals on the Danish thriller “Boundless,” based on Jussi Adler-Olsen’s “Department Q” novel, which is currently dominating the Danish box office.

Ahead of the pic’s market screening Feb 17 at the Berlin European Film Market, the title, helmed by Ole Christian Madsen has sold to Wild Bunch Distribution for France, Vértigo Films for Spain, Frenetic Films for Switzerland, Film Europe Slovakia for Czech Republic, Vertigo Media for Hungary and Contents Panda for Korea.

“Boundless” is the second of six Department Q thrillers produced by Nordisk Film Production Denmark, after “The Marco Effect,” headlining Ulrich Thomsen as maverick detective Carl Mørck.

“It’s such a pleasure to handle this amazing ‘Department Q’ saga for Vértigo, and “Boundless” confirms again the power and seduction of this perfect thriller,” said Spanish distributor Andres Martín from Vértigo Films, who also acquired “The Marco Effect” from TrustNordisk.

In “Boundless,...

TrustNordisk has snapped up international sales rights to the new Danish crime thriller “Boundless,” based on fiction guru Jussi Adler-Olsen’s “Den Grænseløse,” his sixth novel in the Department Q series.

Danish helmer Ole Christian Madsen, credited for the HBO series “Banshee” (2013-16) and WWII drama “Flame & Citron” starring Mads Mikkelsen, has taken up the challenge of bringing Adler-Olsen’s suspenseful universe to the silver screens, working from a script by Jakob Weis.

Christian Madsen will reunite with his “Banshee” actor Ulrich Thomsen. The latter reprises the role of detective Carl Mørck, which he played in Nordisk Film Production’s previous Department Q film version, “The Marco Effect”.

The helmer said he has “a profound respect for the world built in Adler-Olsen’s novels, that he finds both “intriguing and fascinating.” “I do believe ‘Boundless’ the movie could expand that world even more,” he asserted.

In this new thriller,...

In the latest of a flurry of collaborations in the European independent film and TV scene, Danish group Creative Alliance, the production outfit headed by directors Lone Scherfig (The Kindness of Strangers, An Education) and Ole Christian Madsen (Flame & Citron) and producer/CEO Malene Blenkov (The Kindness of Strangers, Backstabbing for Beginners), has signed an exclusive production agreement with Nordisk Film Production, the production arm of Scandinavian giant Nordisk Film.

The two companies will form a Nordisk Film-Creative Alliance division that Blenkov will run and that will operate under the auspices of Nordisk Film Production.

“High-quality productions are in high demand ...

Years before the “Rust” tragedy would cause urgent conversations about guns on set, Hollywood had a safe and realistic alternative that it ignored.

The proprietary technology was shown to industry leaders and movie stars in the corners of conventions and trade shows, in the sleek offices of venture capital firms, and in dazzling proof-of-concept footage posted to YouTube.

It’s called Violette, a device with science-fair simplicity, which combined propane and oxygen to create a flash, bang and physical recoil — all the sensory elements of firing a weapon that we expect to see in movies and on TV. The device lives inside a dummy gun, but isn’t a firearm.

These faux weapons or “host units,” as founders Søren Haraldsted and Daniel Karpantschof of Copenhagen Industries call them, are hollowed-out props modeled after the real thing. They can safely be held as close as two inches from their intended targets,...

The film about the 2015 Copenhagen terrororist attack is in post.

Screen can exclusively reveal the first-look image from Ole Christian Madsen’s forthcoming feature The Day We Died, now in post.

The story follows four people connected to the February 2015 terrorist attacks in Copenhagen: two victims, the radicalised homegrown terrorist and the Swat team leader who shot the terrorist. The latter is played by Game Of Thrones star Nikolaj Coster-Waldau.

This image shows Lars Brygmann, whose credits include Borgen and That Time Of Year, playing Finn Nørgaard, the Danish filmmaker killed in the attacks.

“I realised if I could have...

Poul Berg’s feature debut was developed in cooperation with fellow Emmy nominee Kalle Bjerkø.

LevelK has acquired world sales rights for Poul Berg’s Danish family action film Hacker.

The film marks the feature debut for Emmy nominee Berg, whose TV credits include Ride Upon The Storm, Mille and Limbo.

The script has been developed in cooperation with writer Kalle Bjerkø, Emmy nominee 2012 for Boxhead.

Signe Leick Jensen and Morten Kaufmann produce for Toolbox Film, with Cinenic Film as co-producer. Backers include The Danish Film Institute, Dr TV, The Swedish Film Institute, Svt, Scanbox Entertainment, LevelK and Creative Europe/Media.

Tim King joins as executive vice president production and Lars Bredo Rahbek has been appointed head of production for Denmark.

Swedish film production outfit Svensk Filmindustri has revealed two new appointments.

Danish producer Lars Bredo Rahbek [pictured left] - who has been a producer at Nimbus Film since 1997 working on titles including Flame And Citron – joins as the company’s new head of production for Denmark, effective from March 1.

Tim King [pictured right], formerly of McKinsey & Co and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, joins as executive vice president production, reporting to CEO Jonas Fors, effective immediately.

Fors said of the new hires: “Tim’s broad experience together with Lars’s strong history within Danish film and TV allows us to ensure we can manage both the challenges of our existing production businesses, together with ensuring the skills to manage the growth we want to achieve.”...

Latido Films taking drama starring Barry Keoghan and Klaus Maria Brandauer to the Cannes Marche.

British writer Rebecca Lenckiewicz has joined Bulgarian director Konstantin Bojanov on drama I Want To Be Like You. It marks Lenckiewicz’s first feature co-writing Oscar-winner Ida with director Pawel Pawlikowski.

Bojanov will shoot the coming-of-age drama this July on location in and around Copenhagen, the UK’s West Midlands and Belgium.

The film has a budget of $2.2m (€2m) and is a production partnership between Toolbox Film in Copenhagen, London’s Film and Music Entertainment, Brussels-based Left Field Ventures and Bulgaria’s Multfilm.

The young cast is led by Irish actor Barry Keoghan, who featured in Yann Demmange’s ’71. He more recently appeared in Mammal by Rebecca Daly, Trespass Against Us by Adam Smith, and Norfolk, directed by Martin Radich.

Opposite him in the role of Piri is Danish actor Thure Lindhardt, best known roles in Fast and Furious 6, Angels...

After a couple of years’ absence publicist/ producer, Richard Lormand is returning to Toronto with a satchel full of films. Check these out because when he chooses films, he chooses them well.

"Phoenix"

Christian Petzold

Disfigured Holocaust survivor Nina, now unrecognizable after facial reconstruction, returns to find out if her husband really loves her or actually betrayed her...

Starring "Barbara" leads Nina Hoss and Ronald Zehrfeld. Romance and reconstruction in post World War II Germany from the critically

acclaimed director of "Barbara" (Berlinale 2012 Best Director) and "Yella" (Berlinale 2007 Best Actress – Nina Hoss)

Present: Christian Petzold (director), Nina Hoss (actress), Florian Koerner von Gustorf (producer)

World Sales: The Match Factory

Fri 5 – 18:00 (Public 1 – Elgin/Visa Screening Room)

Sat 6 – 11:30 (Public 2 – Elgin/Visa Screening Room)

Sat 6 – 12:30 (Press/Industry 1 – Scotiabank 2)

Tue 9 - 14:00 (Press/Industry 2 - Scotiabank 14)

Fri 12 - 14:15 (Press/Industry 3 - Scotiabank 7

"Itsi Bitsi"

Ole Christian Madsen

In the soul-searching psychedelic 60s, a rebellious young man desperately tries to win a beautiful woman’s love by transforming from poet to writer, nomad to junkie and eventually rock star...

The new film by Ole Christian Madsen, acclaimed director of "Superclásico," "Flame and Citron" and "Prague."

Present: Ole Christian Madsen (director), Joachim Fjelstrup (actor), Marie Tourell Søderberg (actress), Lars Lars Bredo Rahbek (producer)

World Sales: The Match Factory

Sat 6 – 8:30 (Press/Industry 1 – Scotiabank 9)

Sat 6 – 17:15 (Public 1 – Scotiabank 4)

Sun 7 – 9:30 (Public 2 – Bloor Hot Docs Cinema)

Tue 9 - 17:30 (Press/Industry 2 - Scotiabank 7)

Fri 12 – 17:00 (Public 3 – Isabel Bader)

"1001 Grams"

Bent Hamer

Urbane urbanite Marie is a thirty-something scientist whose life is rigorously controlled. When she attends a seminar in Paris on the actual weight of a kilo, it is her own measurement of disappointment, grief and, not least, love, that ends up on the scale. As she explores her new possibilities, everything seems to unfurl magically, beautiful.

Featuring Ane Dahl Torp (Pioneer, Cold Lunch) in a charmingly offbeat comedy from Norwegian master Bent Hamer ("Kitchen Stories," "O'Horten"). A co-production: Norway (BulBul), France (Slot Machine), Germany (Pandora)

Present: Bent Hamer (director), Ane Dahl Torp (actress), Marianne Slot (producer)

World Sales: Les Films du Losangne

Fri 5 – 14:00 (Press/Industry 1 – Scotiabank 3)

Sun 7 – 19:15 (Public 1 – Tiff Bell Lightbox 1)

Tue 9 - 9:30 (Press/Industry 2 - Scotiabank 4)

Tue 9 – 14:45 (Public 2 – Scotiabank 2)

Sun 14 – 19:00 (Public 3 – Tiff Bell Lightbox 1)

"Tigers"

Danis Tanovic

Devastated when he discovers the effects of the infant formula he’s peddling, a young salesman takes on a multinational corporation, in this based-on-fact drama from Academy Award-winning director Danis Tanovic ("No Man's Land").

Featuring Bollywood star Emraan Hashmi ("Once Upon a Time in Mumbai"). A co-production: India (Cinemorphic Pvt Ltd & Sikhya Entertainment), France (Asap Films)

Present: Danis Tanovic (director), Emraan Hashmi (actor), Geetanjali (actress), Khalid Abdalla (actor), Prashita Chaudhary (producer), Guneet Monga (producer), Cédomir Kolar (producer), Andy Paterson (producer, co-writer), Achin Jain (executive producer)

World Sales: The Match Factory

Sun 7 – 14:00 (Press/Industry 1 – Scotiabank 10)

Mon 8 – 21:45 (Public 1 – Scotiabank 1)

Wed 10 - 21:15 (Press/Industry 2 - Scotiabank 7)

Wed 10 – 21:30 (Public 2 – Scotiabank 3)

Sat 13 – 17:00 (Public 3 – Tiff Bell Lightbox 1

"Natural Resistance"

Jonathan Nossiter

Four Italian winegrowers of a rapidly spreading European natural wine revolution have encountered fierce resistance. Not everyone believes in their struggle for an ecologically progressive, economically just and historically rich expression of Italian

agriculture…

10 years after "Mondovino" world acclaimed director Jonathan Nossiter offers a model of charmed and joyous ecological and cinematic resistance against the new world economic order.

Present: Jonathan Nossiter (director)

Sat 6 – 11:15 (Press/Industry 1 – Scotiabank 7),

Mon 8 – 19:00 (Public 1 – Tiff Bell Lightbox 3)

Tue 9 – 19:00 (Public 2 – Jackman Hall)

Thu 11 – 17:45 (Public 3 – Bloor Hot Docs Cinema)...

Main Street during The Telluride Film Festival

The Telluride Film Festival seemingly appears overnight against the gorgeous backdrop of rugged mountains. It lasts just four days but in fact it takes more than a month of intensive labor to transform the elementary school, high school, hockey rink, library, the park in the middle of town and a masonic temple into theaters. Now in its 41st year,up until recently this hallowed Labor Day weekend event has long been a quiet fixture on the festival circuit. As most of the festival world knows, the escalating word of mouth about the quality of Telluride’s unofficial premieres caused the Toronto International Film Festival to issue an ultimatum to those hoping to land choice spots in the fall line-up: if you choose to screen at Telluride first, your film will be pushed back on Tiff’s slate. Realistically- Toronto has little to fear from Telluride besides buzz.

This morning the Toronto Film Festival added several more films to their lineup including the world premiere of Thomas McCarthy's The Cobbler which stars Adam Sandler as a New York City cobbler who, disenchanted with the grind of daily life, stumbles upon a magical heirloom that allows him to step into the lives of his customers and see the world in a new way. The film co-stars Method Man, Ellen Barkin, Melonie Diaz, Dan Stevens, Steve Buscemi and Dustin Hoffman. Additionally, Sundance standouts Infinity Polar Bear and Laggies starring Keira Knightley and Chloe Grace Moretz were added to the Gala selection. Joining The Cobbler as new additions to the Special Presentations field include Olivier Assayas' Clouds of Sils Maria starring Kristen Stewart and Juliette Binoche and Two Days, One Night from Luc and Jean-Pierre Dardenne and starring Marion Cotillard. Both films made a splash at Cannes earlier this year,...

Demonic possession movie number 36,149 is getting ready to compel you into watching it! Read on for the first artwork and word on the upcoming flick Forbidden Girl! Look for it on DVD August 12th from Inception Media Group.

From the Press Release

A young man must resist the seductive lure of an ancient witch or be condemned to an eternal life on the dark side in The Forbidden Girl, possessing DVD August 12th from Inception Media Group.

Toby (Peter Gadiot; "Once Upon a Time in Wonderland," Night Wolf), a troubled young man who lost his girlfriend in a tragic accident, begins to put his life back together after spending years in a psychiatric institute. Upon his release, he takes a job tutoring a beautiful woman (Jytte-Merle Böhrnsen) who lives in her aunt’s lonely mansion.

When Toby suspects his student is possessed, his haunting memories return; and unexplainable, supernatural occurrences drive him from the house.

Mads Mikkelsen is the man. End of story. He's the kind of actor who is so consistently captivating on-screen that we're game for anything he's in, be it in his native Denmark (Flame and Citron, Valhalla Rising) or Hollywood (Casino Royale, NBC's Hannibal). Even when it comes to his cheesier movies (Clash of the Titans, The Three Musketeers), he's the kind of actor who is guaranteed to make things more interesting. Combine him with a smart, daring script and the results are, well, they're The Hunt, opening in theaters Friday. Directed by Thomas Vinterberg, The Hunt is about a teacher (Mikkelsen) in a small town who has hit a rough patch in life. Things are starting to look up, though. He's making progress with the custody of his son and...

Read More...

We are now officially half way through the year and so I’ve asked our staff to vote for their favourite films released thus far. Hollywood blockbusters may have disappointed us, but thankfully we can always rely on independent filmmakers to create some truly inspiring films. Rounding out the special mentions is Terrence Malick’s To The Wonder, Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel, and Cate Shortland’s Lore – all missing the cut by a couple of points.

****

#15: Iron Man 3 (24 points)

Directed by Shane Black

Written by Drew Pearce & Shane Black

USA, 2013

Fun has become a slightly forgotten commodity in the summer blockbuster, with many studios and filmmakers now inspired by the efforts of directors like Christopher Nolan to be as grim as possible. The modern superhero often has to be angst-ridden or otherwise mentally scarred to make an impact on audiences, so it’s a pleasant surprise...

To say that none of the 40 + films on our staff-voted list is universally beloved is putting it mildly; but then, that’s the nature of polls like these. Every year we’ve run this poll, there’s been a runaway winner; this year, the top film crossed the three-hundred-point threshold, a first here at Sound On Sight. Not since Inglourious Basterds has a film run away so clearly with the number one spot. Our top choice received unbelievable love and support from everyone, nearly doubling the amount of points of our second place pick.

Nobody will agree on each entry, but keep in mind, Sound On Sight has always been a place that bridges the gap between mainstream and independent cinema. We love foreign films but we also love genre pics and documentaries. In other words, we cover it all, or at least we try.

With more movies in limited...

Thomas Vinterberg revisits the themes of his 1998 film Festen in this powerful story of a man wrongly accused of child abuse

The Danish film-maker Thomas Vinterberg made his name in 1998 with Festen (aka The Celebration), one of those family reunion dramas that culminate in savage blood-letting. In that case, an embittered son reveals that he and his twin sister were abused by his wealthy, overbearing father whose 60th birthday the dysfunctional clan has gathered to celebrate. The movie was made in that deliberately ugly style embraced by Dogme 95, the self-publicising faction formed by Vinterberg and Lars von Trier to purify a corrupt cinema and committed to eschewing special effects, artificial lighting, makeup, incidental music, cutting within a sequence, specially built sets and tripods.

The group's creators have moved on from the austere conditions they originally proposed, Vinterberg to traditional realism, von Trier to increased stylisation. But in his outstanding new film,...

The Hunt

Directed by Thomas Vinterberg

Screenplay by Thomas Vinterberg and Tobias Lindholm

2012, Denmark

Although director Thomas Vinterbeg’s The Hunt redoubles on well trodden material explicating the dangerousness of convicting without evidence or investigation, Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen (Flame and Citron, Casino Royale, Valhalla Rising) profoundly visualizes just how excruciating the character assassination of a good man displaced by society’s rush to judgment can be. The role of Lucas, a personable and caring kindergarten teacher gives Mikkelsen the opportunity to spin movingly from a relatively content, ordinary man minding his own business to a man who has had almost every conceivable thing worth living for stripped away. Existing in the absence of any kind of existential meaning behind this punishment, Mikkelsen’s Lucas fights nobly and with what little self worth he can still muster to push back against the overwhelming tide of indiscriminate hate. It’s a...

Producers Bryan Fuller (Pushing Dasies) and Martha DeLaurentis continued to work on the new NBC series based on author Thomas Harris' novel Red Dragon, about serial killer Hannibal Lecter and his growing relationship with FBI agent Will Graham. After casting British actor Hugh Dancy as FBI agent Graham, EW reported that Fuller and DeLaurentis landed their main character, Dr. Hannibal Lecter himself. Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen, known to art-house audiences for the specialty dramas Flame and Citron, Valhalla Rising and After the Wedding and mainstream audiences for Casino Royale and Clash of the Titans, signed on to play the iconic villain.

Producers Bryan Fuller (Pushing Dasies) and Martha DeLaurentis continued to work on the new NBC series based on author Thomas Harris' novel Red Dragon, about serial killer Hannibal Lecter and his growing relationship with FBI agent Will Graham. After casting British actor Hugh Dancy as FBI agent Graham, EW reported that Fuller and DeLaurentis landed their main character, Dr. Hannibal Lecter himself. Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen, known to art-house audiences for the specialty dramas Flame and Citron, Valhalla Rising and After the Wedding and mainstream audiences for Casino Royale and Clash of the Titans, signed on to play the iconic villain.

Jo Nesbø's novel has been expertly transformed into a cool, brutal, deeply Scandinavian thriller

The cinema, as Karl Marx might have said, repeats itself, first as a Scandinavian thriller, then as a Hollywood remake. An American company acquired the rights to remake Morten Tyldum's Headhunters while it was still in production. They'll have trouble in making a movie half as good or half as authentic.

Although inevitably indebted to American models, Headhunters is firmly rooted in the Scandinavian experience, and it moves with the speed of a demented lemming heading for the cliff-edge of a fjord. The film is adapted from a novel by Jo Nesbø, the Norwegian crime writer who is now up there beside the Swedes Henning Mankell and Stieg Larsson, and the screenplay is the work of Lars Gudmestad and Ulf Ryberg, old hands at this kind of thing, the latter having adapted novels by both Mankell and Larsson.

Why They're On Our Radar: Hands down one of the raciest titles to play in the U.S. Dramatic Competition at Sundance this year is Ira Sach's semi-autobiographical gay relationship drama "Keep the Lights On." In it, Danish actor Thure Lindhardt plays Erik, a hard-partying documentary filmmaker who has a highly charged hookup with the handsome Paul (Zachary Booth), a lawyer in the publishing field. As a relationship quickly develops, the two are forced to deal with each other's compulsions and addictions. More About Them: Despite being a fresh face for the majority of North American audiences, Lindhardt is far from an unknown in Denmark. He first broke out as a child actor in the Palme d'Or winning "Pelle the Conqueror." He's since gone on to star in "A Place Nearby," which won him the Shooting Star Award at the 2000 Berlin International Film Festival, as well as the World War II drama "Flame and Citron,...

Mads Mikkelsen will receive the European Film Academy's European Achievement in World Cinema 2011 Honorary Award "in recognition of a unique contribution to the world of film." Previous recipients include Milos Forman, Roman Polanski, Antonio Banderas, Lars von Trier, Isabelle Huppert, Maurice Jarre, Liv Ullmann, Roberto Benigni, Gabriel Yared, and Victoria Abril. Among the Danish-born Mikkelsen's credits are Nicolas Winding Refn’s crime dramas Pusher (1996) and With Blood on My Hands: Pusher II (2004); Anders Thomas Jensen's The Green Butchers (2003) and Adam's Apples (2005); Susanne Bier's Open Hearts (2002) and the Oscar-nominated After the Wedding (2006); and Ole Christian Madsen's Flame and Citron (2008). Outside of Denmark, Mikkelsen was the creepy villain with the bleeding eye in Martin Campbell's Casino Royale (2006); Igor Stravinsky in Jan Kounen's Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky (2009); a corporate go-getter with a past in Peter Lindmark's Swedish drama Exit (2009); One Eye in Winding Refn's English-language Valhalla Rising...

Here is a new international trailer for Lars von Trier’s Melancholia, and an older trailer from a few months ago I just found as well. In the sci-fi/psychological drama another planet that is going to collide with the Earth, but at the same time it also revolves around a wedding and the lives and relationships of certain people. It stars Kirsten Dunst, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Kiefer Sutherland, Alexander Skarsgard, Charlotte Rampling, John Hurt, Stellan Skarsgard and Udo Kier.

If anything, a Lars von Trier movie will surprise you (Dancer in the Dark, Dogville, Antichrist), so I do look forward to seeing Melancholia even if it does seem more mainstream than his previous works. The film premiered in May 2011 at the 64th Cannes Film Festival where Kirsten Dunst received the Cannes Film Festival’s Best Actress Award for her performance.

Here’s the press release, which includes a synopsis and...

Source: FilmShaft - New International Poster For Lars von Trier’s Melancholia Plus Stills

A brand new international poster for Lars von Trier's eagerly anticipated drama, Melancholia, has been put online. The Danish auteur has attracted a great cast including Kirsten Dunst, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Charlotte Rampling, John Hurt, Udo Kier and Stellan Skarsgård for what has been often described as a "psychological disaster film".

The poster looks to have taken its inspiration from a book jacket and is a classy affair. The stills themselves are gorgeous and very Scandinavian looking. This should be a treat after the horror of AntiChrist.

Synopsis:

Kirsten Dunst and Charlotte Gainsbourg and Kiefer Sutherland star together with Alexander Skarsgård, Charlotte Rampling, John Hurt, Stellan Skarsgård, Udo Kier and Jesper Christensen. The behind-the-scenes team includes award-winning cinematographer Manuel Alberto Claro Dff (Reconstruction), production designer Jette Lehmann (Flame and Citron), and costume designer Manon Rasmussen (Dancer in the Dark...

The trailer made its debut last week (see it Melancholia Trailer) and now Lars von Trier's next magnum opus will open in the UK from 30th September. Melancholia will be receiving its world premiere at the 64th Cannes Film Festival next month, which means Lars will be making the trip to the fest in his camper van. He's scared of flying, apparently.

So will Melancholia cause outrage on the Croisette like Antichrist did? Who knows. Von Trier announced at the pre-shoot press conference there would be "no more happy endings!" He's such a joker. Expect this to polarise opinion just like all his other films.

Press release:

Artificial Eye will release Lars von Trier's Melancholia on 30 September. A beautiful movie about the end of the world, Melancholia is written and directed by von Trier and produced by Meta Louise Foldager and Louise Vesth for Zentropa Entertainments27. Melancholia will...

What's wonderful about director Lars von Trier's films is that you never know what to expect. Sometimes the outcome works and other times it doesn't, but it will be a film-going experience unlike any other. For example, his latest film Melancholia picks up from a normal, relatable setting—a wedding—and then goes totally batshit from there with a newly discovered planet that might collide with Earth. Melancholia is billed as "a psychological disaster movie" and "a beautiful movie about the end of the world". Also, going by the trailer, Kirsten Dunst might have super powers. I have no idea what to make of Melancholia, and I can't wait to see it. Hit the jump to check out the trailer. Here's the press release, which includes a synopsis for Melancholia: Copenhagen, 8 April 2011 - The trailer for Lars von Trier’s Melancholia is launched online today and available to view at www.

"No more happy endings!" Lars von Trier announced at the pre-production press conference for Melancholia. Of course such statements are part and parcel of the Danish director's schtick, which only serves to make us all laugh and await the next film.

The debut trailer for his latest work should be called a disasterpiece given that it's a story centred on the destruction of our planet. It was launched today via the official website. Melancholia will be having its world premiere at the 64th Cannes Film Festival next month.

Along with the trailer we've got the UK press release with info on the plot, its UK release date and distribution details. Can't wait for this one.

London, 8 April 2011 - The trailer for Lars von Trier's Melancholia is launched online today and available to view at http://www.melancholiathemovie.com. A beautiful movie about the end of the world. Melancholia is...

Zurich -- Yildiz Ozcan will take over as head of German production outfit Wuste Film Ost in October, replacing Sabine Holtgreve.

Her first feature in the new position will be "Dunkel" (Dark) -- a German thriller starring Katharina Thalbach, Mina Tander and Clemens Schick. First-timer Alex Schmidt will direct, with principle photography set to start in November.

Wuste Film Ost is the Potsdam-based satellite division of Hamburg's Wuste Film, whose credits include Fatih Akin's "Head-On," Danish World War II epic "Flame and Citron" (as co-producers) and Anno Saul's sci-fi thriller "The Door" starring Mads Mikkelsen and Jessica Schwarz.

Max Manus is a superior war movie, a tale of resistance and danger set amid the struggle by occupied people against the Nazis during World War II. In the U.S., we're acquainted with stories of the French resistance, which seems unspeakably romantic because, well, it's French. Or we hear about the Spanish Republicans, fighting Franco in the years before WWII. But Max Manus reminds us that there was a strong, self-sacrificing resistance movement in Scandinavia as well, whether in Denmark (last year's Flame and Citron) or Norway, after Quisling turned his country over to Hitler's forces. Directed by Joachim Roenning and Espen Sandberg, Max Manus celebrates the courage, heroism and humanity of the title character, a Norwegian fighter so slippery the Nazis couldn't catch him, though he pulled off daring acts of sabotage right under their noses. When first seen, Max (Aksel Hennie)...

Nordic (a.k.a. Scandinavian) Cinema – films made in Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden – is known for its stark and foreboding landscapes, slow pacing, and strange humor that seems to toggle between absurdism, surrealism and just plain silly. Those are, admittedly, some over-arching stereotypes; but, personally, I most enjoy Nordic films that match those stereotypes to a tee. In fact, many of my favorite directors are from Nordic nations (Ingmar Bergman, Aki Kaurismäki, Carl Theodor Dreyer, Lasse Hallström, Lars von Trier, Lukas Moodysson, Susanne Bier, Risto Jarva, Erik Skjoldbjærg, Tomas Alfredson, Bent Hamer, Baltasar Kormákur, Dagur Kári, and Olaf de Fleur). I’m not sure what that says about me as a person? To the best of my knowledge, I am not of Nordic ancestry – so I cannot explain where I gained this strange affinity for Nordic cinema. In which case, I’ll just lay all of the blame...

Director: Ole Christian Madsen Writers: Lars Andersen, Ole Christian Madsen Starring: Thure Lindhardt, Mads Mikkelsen, Stine Stengade, Peter Mygind, Mille Hoffmeyer Lehfeldt, Christian Berkel, Hanns Zischler, Claus Riis Ostergaard, Lars Mikkelsen, Flemming Enevold, Jesper Christensen The place is Copenhagen, the year is 1944. Flame (Thure Lindhardt) and Citron’s (Mads Mikkelsen) moral compasses are spinning out of control as they go on a strategic killing spree of Danes who are collaborating with Nazis occupiers, then straight for the jugular of the Nazis themselves. Citron begins the film as a family man; he is Flame’s sidekick, but he is literally just along for the drive (a stressful job nonetheless causing him to sweat profusely, drink heavily and gulp down pills to quell his nerves). However, it is not long before the lunacy of war takes hold of Citron and never ever lets him go. Even Flame, who is an unwavering killing...

In stores this week we have a few cool movies that you might have overlooked during their theatrical runs, and a bunch of others that you're probably glad that you missed. Steven Soderbergh's The Informant! leads the list of major DVD releases, along with Richard Kelly's The Box and Cirque Du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant starring John C. Reilly. Also out this week is the low budget horror remake Sorority Row, Norwegian Nazi zombie flick Dead Snow, acclaimed U.K. soccer drama The Damned United, and The September Issue, a documentary about infamous Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour. Truthfully though, I think the main thing we've all really been saving our money for is Jersey Shore: Season 1 Uncensored. What will you be renting or buying this week? The Informant! [1] (+ Blu-ray [2]) The Box [3] (+ Blu-ray [4]) Cirque Du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant [5] (+ Blu-ray [6]) Sorority Row [7] (+ Blu-ray [8]) Everybody's Fine [9] The Damned United [10] (+ Blu-ray...

It's no secret that I loved The Box (review, amazon). It's a mystery that will definitely push your buttons (ha!), but it's really smart. Maybe too smart for it's own good which is why it seems to have confounded people. I can't wait to visit it again on DVD this week. Apparently it's got an interview with Richard Matheson, who talks about how he came up with the idea and developed it. Bad news is that the Kelly commentary is only available on Blu-ray. I think that's a Bs move to move units that won't even work. Someone should hit Kelly up on his myspace account to make his commentary available to download.

Hmmm, what else is out this week? Norwegian nazi zombie comedy, Dead Snow ("Dod Sno", amazon) is out. I thought it already was - at least I know it was in Canada - but if you haven't...

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The September Issue I don't read Vogue and know very little about the fashion world, but I still find it incredibly interesting and while The September Issue doesn't necessarily explore the fashion world to any great extent or even go all that deep into the yearly bible of the industry, it is still wildly fascinating and this DVD is filled with bonuses for those that want more than the 88 minutes R.J. Cutler's doc offers.

In fact it comes with an audio commentary with Cutler and a featurette of behind-the-scenes photos. But the big draw will be the group of deleted scenes on the first disc followed by over an hour of additional footage on the second disc. As the sticker says on the box art to the left, this thing has over 90 minutes of additional footage. Personally it...

Berlin -- Danish director Ole Christian Madsen, whose last feature, "Flame & Citron," was the biggest Danish boxoffice hit in decades, has arrived in Berlin with his two follow-up projects.

Madsen and producers Nimbus are looking to nail down financing for the comedy "Superclasico" and the beatnik biopic "Eik." The Nimbus title "Submarino," from director Thomas Vinterberg, bows in competition in Berlin today.

  In "Superclasico," Anna, a Danish soccer agent, falls for a hunky Argentinean player and heads to Buenos Aires, pursued by her estranged husband, Christian. Starring Anders W. Berthelsen and Paprika Steen, it is set to begin principle photography May 10 in Denmark and Argentina with a late 2010/early 2011 delivery date.

"Eik" is a period biopic on '60s beatnik poet Eik Skaloe, described by some as the Danish Jim Morrison. Shooting is planned for 2011.

The Match Factory, which sold "Flame & Citron" to more than 50 territories, will be handling world sales on both titles.

The personal moral complexities of war are what stand at center stage in Flame & Citron. The film chronicles the heroic efforts of the two Danish men who served as Allie spies and assassins against the Nazis in Denmark during World War II. While their stories are of valor, their realities were of hardship and doubt, constantly living the uncertainty and fear of pretending to be someone else, surrounded by your enemy.

Bent, code name Flame (Thure Lindhardt) is a 23-year old red-haired man seemingly without fear and thoroughly loyal to his cause. Jorgen, code name Citron (Mads Mikkelson) is a middle-aged family man who struggles between his duties to his country and to his family. While Citron is the driver and strategic backup, Flame is the man who literally pulls the trigger. Both men are diligent, rapidly becoming the most wanted figures in the Denmark arena.

Citron is plagued by...

Danish film is known for a lot of things. It’s precision. A willingness to challenge. Lately, a healthy string of high end thrillers. But what it’s not really known for is comedy. Particularly not slapstick comedy. But if Rasmus Heide has his way that will soon change with The Christmas Party (Julefrokosten). One of the most hotly anticipated films of the year in Denmark this year, The Christmas PArty features some of Denmark’s biggest stars - among them the leads from Pusher, Just Another Love Story and Flame And Citron getting goofy.

When salesman Anders begins his new job, he is given a special task: to infiltrate one the company’s competitors and during the annual Christmas event steal their confidential customer file. As Anders romps through the commotion and antics of the celebration, he realises that life is an ongoing process of learning and that he is only a beginner.

This review was originally published during the 2008 Telluride Film Festival. Flame + Citron opens in New York tomorrow, and is already available on IFC In Theaters video on demand. Flame & Citron, directed by former Dogme 95 auteur Ole Christian Madsen, walks a thin line between ass-kicking assassin movie and dense WWII period drama. The film recounts the true story of Bent and Jørgen, code names Flame and Citron, as they cruise around occupied Copenhagen offing Danish Nazis and German officers. In addition to action flick and period drama, the film also fea ...

Contest updated with winners!

Yes, we’re giving folk here at Twitch and today what we’ve got to give away to our UK readers is three copies of Metrodome’s new release of Danish WWII film Flame And Citron, which released Monday, June 29th.  We’ve written about this one extensively in these pages so you should all be well familiar by now, but for those who aren’t, this is director Ole Christian Madsen’s bio-pic on the life of two legendary Danish resistance fighters, played by Mads Mikkelsen and Thure Lindhart.

All you needed to do to win was name the big Hollywood film Lindhart just appeared in.  The answer,, of course, is Angels and Demons.  And our winners are Suzanne Woolcott, Paul Markey and Lena Pellow.

Check the UK trailer for the film below the break!

Toronto International Film Festival acquisitions this year were sparse which was no surprise given the recent closings of the well funded specialty arms of the studios. The noticeable slowdown in the business at these large festival cum market events (e.g., Toronto) has continued since Cannes although Locarno was happily surprised at the increased number of acquisitions which took place there albeit by international sales agents rather than by distributors. At least it attests to some enthusiasm in what seems to be a lackluster low energy year for the film business. Venice[/link] also created some sales in spite of its never quite becoming the market it might be. Pusan was disappointing leaving buyers and sellers looking toward the upcoming Tokyo International Film Festival and AFM as the place where deals will close. The European sales agents did better selling to the Asian distributors than the Asian sales agents. Bavaria sold 'Into the Great Silence' to Jin Jin of South Korea. Celsius sold 'Vivaldi' to Mirovision for South Korea, and new international sales agent M-Appeal's Maren Kroymann sold 'Trick' to Coral for South Korea.

This is a sample of the Rights Roundup Reports available from sales-filmfinders@imdb.com. For more information on acquisitions in the future you can purchase the Fall Festival and Market RightsRoundup and Rights Roundup Reports for AFM/ American Film Market, Berlin Film Festival and EFM/ European Film Market and Cannes Film Festival and Marche du Film after those events.

In Toronto, Fox Searchlight remained the strong buyer, picking up 'The Wrestler' for the highest sales figure of the market, but still less than $4,000,000 and ‘Slumdog Millionaire’, the other hit of the festival. Summit, an A list international sales agent who entered the domestic distribution business this year also acquired ‘Hurt Locker' for U.S.. Both 'The Wrestler' and 'Hurt Locker' were packaged, financed and represented by CAA and both were significant in that only U.S. rights were acquired (without Canada) at a good high price. IFC Films continued its acquisitions activities for IFC in Theaters, its day and date distribution platform making independent films available to a national audience in theaters and on demand simultaneously, buying ‘Flame & Citron’, ‘Fear Me Not’, ‘Everlasting Moments’ and ‘Che’. Sony Pictures Classics was also active acquiring distribution rights to ‘Every Little Step: The Journey of a Chorus Line’, ‘Faubourg 36’ (aka ‘Paris 36’). The micro distributors such as Strand, Kino, Zeitgeist, Panorama, etc. continued business as usual, which generally means hanging back until there are no obvious offers for a film and then coming in with a modest proposal.

Here are the international sales agents whose sales (licensing of distribution rights on behalf of the producers) have been reported thus far:

Bavaria Film International licensed ‘Krabat’ to SPI for Poland and Romania and to Film Depot for Russia ahead of the first public screening. Strong interest is also reported from Spain, France, Italy, Czech Republic, Hungary, Latin America, Japan and USA. ‘The Window’ (aka ‘La Ventana’) sold to Cinemien for Benelux, Imovison for Brazil. A deal with France is expected to close. ‘Cherry Blossoms’ went to Against Gravity for Poland. ‘Empty Nest’ has interest from U.S. as does ‘Restless’.

Celluloid Dreams has acquired all international sales rights to ‘Soul Power’ from Submarine Entertainment who was repping the film. There are offers in major territories soon to close. It also acquired ‘Youssou NDour: I Bring What I Love’ for world sales. Oscilloscope acquired it for U.S. ‘Birdwatchers’ sold to Artificial Eye for the U.K., Filmladen for Austria, Trigon for Switzerland, Pandora for Germany, Cinemien for Benelux, Hopscotch for Australia and New Zealand. ‘Mark Of An Angel’ has sold to Metrodome for the UK, Odeon for Greece, Seville for Canada, Xenix for Switzerland. Diaphana is about to gross $5m with its French theatrical release and Lumiere released in Belgium. ‘Achilles and the Tortoise’ sold to Odeon for France and Maywin for Russia.

Cinema Management Group has closed several territories on ‘The People Speak’ which screened 20 minutes in Toronto FF Special Screening. ‘Zambezia’, ‘Killer Bean Forever’ and ‘The People Speak’ went to Vision Film for Poland and to Film Pop for Turkey.

Elle Driver licensed ’35 Rhums’ to New Wave Films for the U.K.

Fandango Portobello licensed ‘Mid August Lunch' (aka'Pranzo di ferragosto’) to Le Pacte for France, Pandora for Germany, Cinemien for Benelux, Xenix for Switzerland, Filmladen for Austria.

Films Distribution licensed ‘Sea Wall’ to Axiom for the U.K.

Finecut licensed 'Daytime Drinking' to Japan's Eleven Arts who will release it in 30 North American cities. Fortissimo Films signed a six picture deal with Canadian distributor Maximum Films for ‘$9.99’, ‘Laila's Birthday’, ‘Country Wedding’, ‘Serbis’, ‘Native Dancer’, and ‘Tokyo Sonata’. ‘Disgrace’ also went to Maximum. ‘Every Little Step: The Journey of A Chorus Line’ went to Sony Pictures Classics for North America and Australia and New Zealand. ‘Serbis’ and 'Tokyo Sonata' went to Regent for North America.

Hanway Films licensed ‘Of Time and City’ to Strand Releasing for all U.S. rights. ‘Genova’ went to ThinkFilm for North America just before Toronto. Wanda acquired all rights for Spain.

Maximum licensed ‘Sugar‘ to Axiom for the U.K.

Momento licensed ‘Goodbye Solo’ to Imagine for Benelux, Axiom for the U.K. and Xenix for Switzerland. It also has offers from France, Portugal, Greece and Italy among others.

MK2 licensed ‘24 City’ to The Cinema Guild for U.S.

Pathe licensed ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ to Warner Bros. and Fox Searchlight for North America. ‘Faubourg 36’ (aka ‘Paris 36’) went to Sony Pictures Classics for U.S., Australasia, and Scandinavia just before Toronto.

Rai Trade licensed ‘Il Papa di Giovanna’ to Paradis for France, ABC for Benelux, Palace of Australia and New Zealand, MFD for Switzerland.

Roissy has licensed 'Seraphine' to Metrodome for U.K. and Ireland and to Rialto for Australia and New Zealand.

Sahamonkol licensed 'Chocolate' to Magnet for North America.

The Match Factory licensed ‘Flame & Citron’ to IFC Films for U.S. ‘Teza’ went to Trigon for Switzerland and Ripley’s Film for Italy.

TrustNordisk licensed ‘Fear Me Not’ and ‘Everlasting Moments’ and 'Heaven's Heart' to IFC Films for North America. Visit Films licensed five titles including ‘Hannah Takes The Stairs’, ‘LOL’, and ‘Kissing on The Mouth’, ‘Dance Party USA’ and ‘Quiet City’ to Beyond Entertainment for Australia/ New Zealand.

Voltage licensed ‘The Hurt Locker’ to Summit for U.S.

Wild Bunch licensed ‘Che’ to IFC Films. ‘Ponyo’ went to Lucky Red for Italy.

London -- The European Film Academy unveiled the 44 movies on this year's long list for the upcoming European Film Awards, scheduled for Dec. 6 in Copenhagen.

The 44 titles come from 27 countries across the continent including four from the U.K.

Joe Wright's "Atonement," Nick Broomfield's "Battle for Haditha," Mike Leigh's "Happy-Go-Lucky" and Steve McQueen's "Hunger" will all hope to make the nominations' list with titles such as Kornel Mundruczo's "Delta" from Hungary and Andrzej Wajda's "Katyn" from Poland vying for a place.

In the 20 countries with the most Efa Members, members have voted one national film directly into the selection list.

To complete the list, a selection committee consisting of Efa board members and invited experts have included 24 other titles.

Over the next few weeks, the 1,800 members of the European Film Academy will vote for the nominations in the different award categories.

The nominations will then be announced Nov.