In the contemporary Danish cinematic landscape, and beyond, Lars von Trier (b. 1956) remains an essential figure of provocation. He is a filmmaker who is visually uninhibited, always prepared to subvert cinematic “etiquette”, with a distinct penchant for formal experimentation. From his first feature film, The Element of Crime (1984), to The House That Jack Built (2018), not to mention Breaking the Waves (1996) or Dancer in the Dark (2000), his body of work is defined by a radical spirit.
In this edition of the festival, we “X-ray” his oeuvre through a complete retrospective — the most comprehensive ever assembled globally — featuring feature films, short films, commercials, music videos, and documentaries captured during his productions or focused on the filmmaker himself. To help us interpret this “X-ray”, we will also host conversations with several of his long-time collaborators, including actors, cinematographers, editors, and screenwriters, among others.
“This carnal experience when movie magic really works, rushing through the body like a quivering orgasm . . . It is my quest for this experience that has always been and always will be behind all my work and efforts . . . NOTHING ELSE! (...) JUST GIVE ME A SINGLE TEAR OR ONE DROP OF SWEAT; I WILL GLADLY GIVE YOU ALL THE WORLD’S “ART” IN RETURN.”
Manifesto No. 3: Europa, Lars von Trier