26/08/2010

Susanne Bier, one of Denmark’s most popular filmmakers at home and abroad, is today presenting her latest drama, In a Better World [+see also:
trailer
film profile], to local audiences. Nordisk Film is releasing it on 81 screens nationwide.

After her Hollywood experience with Things we Lost in the Fire (2007), Bier returns to her successful collaboration with writer Anders Thomas Jensen, which brought to world screens Open Hearts [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (2002), Brothers [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (2004) and After the Wedding [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Sisse Graum Jørgensen
interview: Susanne Bier
film profile] (2006).

Just like in her two previous Danish films, Bier has set In a Better World between two continents. Here, the central character is the idealistic doctor Anton (Swedish star actor Mikael Persbrandt) who works as a humanitarian in a refugee camp in Africa. Back home in Denmark, his wife (Trine Dyrholm) tries to cope with their 12 year-old son Elia’s problems of bullying at school.

When a new classmate Christian arrives, a boy raised by his father (Ulrich Thomsen) following the loss of his mother, and who has turned his anger and sorrow into viciousness and violence, Elias feels immediately attracted to him. But their friendship turns into a dangerous alliance, challenging Anton’s view of life.

Explaining the starting point for the story, Bier told Cineuropa: “I had discussions with Anders Thomas Jensen about Denmark being perceived as an idealistic and very harmonious society, while things are never that perfect in real life. We started thinking about a story where unpredictable events would have dramatic effects on people and disrupt this image of a blissful place in which to live. The film focuses on the character of the idealistic doctor, but is interwoven with the story of the two boys.”

Following its opening in Denmark, In a Better World will travel to Toronto, for an international premiere in the festival’s Special Presentation sidebar.

The Zentropa production was pre-sold by TrustNordisk to around 30 territories, including the US (Sony Pictures Classics), Germany (Universum), and Switzerland (Frenetic).