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Danish Cinema: Transnational Transformations and Cross-Cultural Appeal

This paper explores the transnational nature of Danish cinema, focusing on films that have a cross-cultural appeal and have been produced in a foreign culture by Danish directors. It analyzes the cinematic strategies of directors such as Susanne Bier and Lone Scherfig, who have successfully made their breakthrough in both domestic and international contexts. The paper also examines the Hollywoodization of Danish films and the similarities and differences between Danish and American remakes.

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Danish Cinema: Transnational Transformations and Cross-Cultural Appeal

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  1. Gunhild Agger Danish Originals and Transnational Transformations ECREA, Istanbul 24-27 October 2012

  2. Nestingen & Elkington: Transnational Cinema in a Global North (2005) • “Financing for Nordic cinema productions is often multinational; the cultural-political bodies that provide funding for cinema cannot be fitted neatly within the borders of a single nation-state; and the networks of production, distribution and exhibition through which all films pass are transnational.” (p. 2)

  3. Ib Bondebjerg and Eva Novrup Redvall (2011): A Small Region in a Global world. Patterns in Scandinavian Film and TV Culture • “Cinema is no longer the key element in a film’s life.” (Bondebjerg and Redvall 2011: 12) • “the national market is the most important” compared to the Scandinavian market and the EU market (Bondebjerg and Redvall 2011: 8)

  4. The transnational trend and the importance of the domestic audience • Danish art films • Danish mainstream films that that have a cross cultural appeal • Films produced in a foreign culture by a Danish director

  5. Susanne Bier and Lone Scherfig • Both made their break-through in a domestic context with romantic comedies • Susanne Bier with Den eneste ene (The One and Only,1999, 843.472 admissions) • Lone Scherfig with Italiensk for begyndere (Italian forBeginners, 2000), a Dogme production, 828,730 admissions (Source: Facts and Figures, DFI.dk)

  6. Susanne Bier cinematic strategy: a cross cultural approach • The One and Only remade in England (2002, director Simon Cellan Jones) • Elsker dig for evigt (Open Hearts 2002, manuscript: Anders Thomas Jensen, dogma film) • Brødre (2004) • Efter Brylluppet (After the Wedding, 2006), nominated for an Academy reward • Brothers (American remake, 2009, Director: Jim Sheridan) • Things We Lost in the Fire (2007), produced by the English production company Neal Street Productions with primarily an American cast • In a Better World (2010), received an Academy reward and a Golden Globe 2011 • Den skaldede frisør (Love is All You Need, 2012)

  7. Susanne Bier: the Breakthrough • Den eneste ene (The One and Only, 1999) – romantic comedy, 843.472 admissions • Elsker dig for evigt (Open Hearts, 2002) – realistic drama, Dogma film, 506.493 admissions

  8. The One and Only (2002, I: Simon Cellan Jones)

  9. The War and Family film Brødre (Brothers) 2004

  10. Brothers 2009 (I: Jim Sheridan)

  11. Things We Lost in the Fire (2007)

  12. Hollywoodization? • “In many of the new Danish films some minor stories have just been expanded to stress a similarity to American films. Danish film has become more sentimental, furnished with more cheap tricks.” (Lars von Trier 2005 in Ekko, Schepelern2005: 26, my translation). Attacking • Susanne Bier • Kim FupzAakeson • Anders Thomas Jensen

  13. Brothers 2004 / American remake 2009 • Similarities: • Both versions openly ask salient questions about the consequences of participating in war • Differences: • national traditions as well as family traditions in warfare – due to the different cultural frames • Danish version: 424,542 admissions in Danish cinemas • American version: 1,910 admissions in Danish cinemas

  14. Hævnen (In a Better World) 2010 • 2011: Golden Globe • 2011: Academy Reward • a clear-cut thematic global scope: • Africa and Denmark – • contrasts and surprising • parallels

  15. ‘Romantic comedy’ • Visually relating to Walt Disney • Cindarella story • Banal music: Dean Martins That’s Amore • Sorrento • Clear primary colors: yellow, blue, red • The romantic comedy with a twist or two

  16. Wilbur Wants to Kill Himself (2002) • An Education (2009): three Academy Award nominations • A full adaptationto a foreignfilm culture

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