Thirty years after the revolutionary DOGMA 95 manifesto, a new generation of Danish filmmakers is reigniting its spirit. Unveiled yesterday at the Cannes Film Festival, DOGMA 25 promises to be a fresh, director-led initiative driven by five of Denmark’s most daring auteurs: May el-Toukhy, Milad Alami, Annika Berg, Isabella Eklöf and Jesper Just. Together, they have formed a collective based on a renewed “vow of chastity” and a shared manifesto that aims to reclaim cinema as a space for artistic freedom and narrative integrity.

This bold artistic movement arrives in direct response to an industry that, in their view, is increasingly dominated by rushed production schedules, inflated crews and algorithm-driven aesthetics. “DOGMA 25 is a rescue mission and a cultural uprising,” the group states. “We stand together to defend artistic freedom as a shield against pointlessness and powerlessness.”

The ten rules of DOGMA 25’s “vow of chastity” revolve around three main principles: a return to physical reality, aesthetic restraint, and economic and geographic accountability. Among the radical requirements are: no use of the internet in creative processes, all scripts must be handwritten, and films must be shot where the story takes place using used or borrowed materials. At least half of the movie must be without dialogue, and make-up is only allowed if justified narratively.

The initiative was spearheaded by el-Toukhy, who reached out to Zentropa in late 2024 to create a development space for innovation and reflection. The project is being brought to life through a collaboration between Zentropa, DR and Nordisk Film Distribution, with financial backing from the Danish Film Institute (DFI). TrustNordisk will handle the DOGMA 25 pictures’ international sales.

DOGMA 25 has garnered early backing from key figures and institutions across the Danish film landscape. Thomas Vinterberg and Lars von Trier, co-founders of DOGMA 95, gave it their blessing, stating: “In 1995, we made films in the certainty of peace. In 2025, new dogmas are created, now in a world of war and uncertainty. We wish you the best of luck on your march towards reconquering Danish film.”

DR’s head of Drama, Henriette Marienlund, called DOGMA 25 “a necessary step to bring in new voices”, praising its radical approach to redefining filmmaking. Nordisk Film Distribution’s Kenneth Wiberg highlighted the movement’s timely relevance in a saturated market, while TrustNordisk’s managing director, Susan Wendt, celebrated the group’s ambition to tell original stories with creative courage.

From a broader industry perspective, DFI head Tine Fischer emphasised the need for structural renewal: “DOGMA 95 turned the eyes of the world towards Denmark and left a radical imprint. We need brave artistic visions now more than ever. DOGMA 25 represents just that: a group of noticeably different filmmakers collectively committed to artistic radicalism.”

Watch this space.