28/11/2012 - Local films tripped over themselves to be part of what will be remembered as the 'great Danish film bloodbath', argues the chairman of the exhibitors’ association Danish Cinemas

After the first half of 2012, domestic admissions for Danish films exceeded two million, and there was every reason to order Heidsieck 1907 champagne to celebrate that by the end of the year the 32-year-old record of 4,275,000 in 2008 would be broken.

"But then Danish film went on a summer holiday, and between June 7-September 6 – for three full months – there was not a single local release in Danish theatres," said Kim Pedersen (photo) - chairman of the exhibitors' association Danish Cinemas, VP of the International Union of Cinemas – in Danish film magazine, Ekko.

"Now the Heidsieck 1907 should be cancelled but still replaced perhaps by Veuve Cliquot, because after all there is reason to mark the third best Danish film year since 1980, with total ticket sales likely to end on the right side of four million."

According to Pedersen, a crowded release schedule mainly due to participation in international film festivals cost five Danish titles an estimated 286,000 admissions, after a strong start to the year, headed by Anne-Grethe Bjarup Riis's This Life [+see also:
trailer
interview: Anne Grethe Bjarup Riis
film profile] and Nikolaj Arcel's A Royal Affair [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Mikkel Boe Følsgaard
interview: Nikolaj Arcel
film profile] (now at 765,000 and 529,000, respectively).

'It looked so promising: a Susanne Bier comedy, a Father of Four [+see also:
trailer
film profile], a Bille August drama, a Hella Joof comedy – 4,275,000 were within reach, even without The Hunt [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Thomas Vinterberg
interview: Thomas Vinterberg
film profile], which Zentropa unwisely decided to launch seven months after Cannes. And no obvious flops in sight.

"But the season was packed: seven Danish films were set for release in five weeks, but it got worse – Bier's Love Is All You Need [+see also:
trailer
film profile] was moved a week closer to the autumn holiday, and Joof's Almost Perfect from November to the holiday. The result: nine films, 42.5% of the year's production, concentrated into seven weeks."

The schedule was partly decided by the selection of Love Is All You Need [+see also:
trailer
film profile] and Tobias Lindhold's A Hijacking [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Tobias Lindholm
film profile] for Venice, Katrine Wiedemann's A Caretaker's Tale [+see also:
trailer
film profile] for San Sebastian - and August's Marie Krøyer [+see also:
trailer
film profile] needed to be out before October 1 to qualify for the Oscars.