Denmark Shortlists Three Films For Oscars 2021
The Danish Oscar Committee has announced a shortlist of three films to be considered for Best International Feature Film at the 93rd Academy Awards: A Perfectly Normal Family by Malou Reymann, Another Round by Thomas Vinterberg and Shorta by Anders Ølholm and Frederik Louis Hviid. The final submission will be announced on 18th November.
Director of the Danish Film Institute, Claus Ladegaard, said: “Our task on the committee is to choose the three films that we believe have the best chance of getting furthest in the Oscar race… The three candidates all had a great start at major festivals in Rotterdam, Cannes and Venice, and critics both at home and abroad have been thrilled.”
“In a year where the film world has been hit hard by the global pandemic, it is really encouraging that we can point to three such diverse films. From a touching portrayal of a father-daughter relationship, to an original study of our alcohol culture, and a search for the human nuances in a polarising debate… All three films are strong contenders as potential Oscar nominees.”
The 93rd Academy Awards will be presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences during a gala ceremony at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on Sunday 25th April 2021. A shortlist of ten films will be announced by the Academy on 9th February and the final five nominees will be revealed on 15th March 2021.
A Perfectly Normal Family (En helt almindelig familie)
Directed by Malou Reymann
Starring: Mikkel Boe Følsgaard, Jessica Dinnage, Hadewych Minis
Emma has a perfectly normal family life until one day it turns out that her dad, Thomas, is transgender. As Thomas becomes Agnete, both father and daughter struggle to hold on to what they had while accepting that everything has changed.
Another Round (Druk)
Directed by Thomas Vinterberg
Starring: Mads Mikkelsen, Thomas Bo Larsen, Lars Ranthe
Four friends, all high school teachers, test a theory that they will work and live better by maintaining a constant level of alcohol in their blood. Their initial results are positive with classes and results improving; however, as they continue the experiment the results become more extreme.
Shorta
Directed by Anders Ølholm and Frederik Louis Hviid
Starring: Jacob Lohmann, Simon Sears, Tarek Zayat
Exactly what happened to 19-year-old Talib Ben Hassi while in police custody is unclear. Police officers Jens and Mike are on routine patrol in the local ghetto when news of Talib’s death comes in over the radio, igniting uncontrollable, pent-up rage in the ghetto’s youth wanting revenge. Suddenly the two officers find themselves fair game and must fight tooth and nail to find a way out.