Beyond
the Dogma: The Seattle International Film Festival gets
Danish in 2006 (from May 25 - June 18)
By
Heike Grodecki
posted May 2006
If you are familiar to the
fact that Seattleites see
more movies per capita
than any other city in the
nation, it will not
surprise you that one of
our city’s biggest events,
the Seattle International
Film Festival (SIFF), is
considered to be the
largest and most highly
attended festivals in the
US and one of the best
“audience festivals” in
the world. Beginning May
25 through June 18, SIFF
has again promised to
bring the best in cinema
from all points of the
globe in an incredible
line-up of more than 250
features and 100 shorts
from more than 50
different countries.
This
year the festival’s spotlight
focus is
on Denmark, a small Nordic
European country with an
incredible resurgence in
extraordinary filmmaking; it
represents some of the best new
work in film today. Danish cinema,
which is best known for its Dogma
films and renowned director Lars
von Trier, has emerged to reveal a
remarkable breadth of work that
crosses over from art house to
genre and even animated fare. SIFF
also states that a record-breaking
year of success in film marks
Denmark as a “cinema hot spot” in
the world.
“Although Danish cinema has always
made a significant impact
internationally, this year in
particular features an explosive
vintage with a high concentration
of the best and most innovative
work to be found anywhere in the
world,” says Carl Spence, SIFF
Artistic Director.
The spotlight is on 14 Danish
feature films, including five
North American Premieres. The
diverse line-up will include
1:1 (One to One)
directed by SIFF’s 2004 Emerging
Master Annette Olesen. This North
American Premiere portrays the
relationship between the Danish
people and Arab Muslim immigrants
in Denmark. When a teenager is
found beaten unconscious, the
suspicion falls on a Palestinian
whose brother happens to be dating
the victim’s sister. Although the
film was produced before the
recent cartoon controversy, it is
prophetic in its look at Europe
trying to maintain an equitable
balance between clashing cultures
and values.
Annette Olesen: “When the world as
we know it changes, it makes us
feel insecure. When we feel
insecure we fear we’ll lose what
we’ve got. When we fear that, we
try to exert control. At best fear
is an instinct that enables us to
survive. At worst it is a cancer
that spreads and mutates into
angst. This is a film about fear.
I wanted to tell this story eye to
eye. 1 to 1.”
Director Pernillle Fischer
Christensen will present her
feature debut En Soap
(A Soap), for which
she has received both the New
Directors Prize and the esteemed
Silver Bear Prize at the most
recent Berlin Film Festival. In
the story Pernille leads the
viewer through what could have
been a conventional story, and
weaves it with a bit of the soap
opera genre to lead through the
maze of gender identity. Truly one
of the most bizarre love stories
to ever appear on screen.
For those looking for an edgier
evening, SIFF presents the
gripping and ultra-violent mafia
saga The Pusher Trilogy
by Nicolas Winding Refn. Unlike
the Sopranos, family, compassion,
loyalty and empathy are largely
absent, and betrayal and vengeance
are the norm in these three films.
Refn is being honored as an
Emerging Master this year —a SIFF
showcase that honors four
directors per year from around the
globe who are poised to become the
world’s next cinematic masters.
©
2006 All content property of European Weekly unless where otherwise
accredited
