22/10/2009

The 2009 Nordic Council Film Prize and its cash envelope of DKK 350,000 (€47,000) have been awarded to the Danish filmmaker Lars von Trier and his producer Meta Louise Foldager (Zentropa) for the controversial film Antichrist [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Lars von Trier
film profile].

The five-member jury (comprising Danish senior lecturer Anne Jerslev, Finnish editor Johanna Grönqvist, Icelandic author Sjon, Norwegian film critic Le LD Nguyen and Swedish film critic Eva af Geijerstam) said about the film: “Lars von Trier’s Antichrist is a wild, visually beautiful and shockingly violent film about sorrow, rage and guilt.”

Antichrist, for which Charlotte Gainsbourg won a Best Actress award at the last Cannes Film Festival, was chosen over the four other contenders: Sauna [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (Finland), The Amazing Truth About Queen Raquela [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (Iceland), North [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Rune Denstad Langlo
film profile] (Norway) and the documentary Light Year (Sweden).

In an interview to Denmark’s public broadcaster DR, Trier said he was “happy and surprised. I knew I was nominated but haven’t seen any of the other nominated films. I only see old movies.” He added that he prefers Antichrist today than when he made it as during the shooting he was seriously depressed and drank far too much wine.

The Nordic Council Film Prize 2009 will be awarded during the Nordic Council’s Session in Stockholm on October 27. Last year’s winner was Roy Andersson’s You, the Living [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Pernilla Sandström
interview: Roy Andersson
film profile].