When one thinks ofthe best countries for cinema, Denmark does not immediately leap to mind. And yet, the country has been the source of some of the last decade’s most intriguing movies, from psychological dramas to experimental documentaries. Going back even further, Danish cinema was actually the leading country in Europe for film in the 1910s. The ’90s were also a fertile decade for Danish directors, seeing the rise of the film movement known as Dogme 95. All this means that contemporary Danish filmmakers have a rich cinematic tradition to draw on.
Judging by the IMDb scores, three titans have defined Danish cinema:Carl Theodor Dreyerin the first half of the 20th century, followed byLars von TrierandThomas Vinterbergin the 21st century (thoughBenjamin ChristensenandNicolas Winding Refndeserve honorable mentions). These are the best movies the country has to offer, as ranked by the site’s users.
10’Breaking the Waves' (1996)
IMDb: 7.8/10
Set in a small Scottish village in the 1970s,Breaking the Wavesrevolves around Bess McNeill (Emily Watson), a deeply religious woman who marries an outsider named Jan (Stellan Skarsgård). Jan becomes paralyzed in an accident, and encourages his wife to have sex with other men. Convinced that her actions can heal her husband, Bess embarks on a series of self-destructive and sacrificial acts, guided by whatshe believes is the will of God.
Breaking the Wavesreceived rave reviews on release, particularly for Watson’s beautiful, heartbreaking performance. It brought director Lars von Trier to international attention, and remains his most beloved movie. Here, he deploys innovative storytelling elements, like the audiovisual interludes by artistPer Kirkeby, but without the shock value that would characterize most of his later work. Visually, everything looks raw and low-res, but this is by design. Asvon Trier explains: “The raw, documentary style that I imposed on the film, which actually dissolves and contradicts it, means that we can accept the story as it is.”
Breaking the Waves
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9’Land of Mine' (2015)
This WWII drama unfoldsin the immediate aftermath of the German occupation of Denmarkwhere a group of young German POWs, including many teenagers, is tasked with the perilous job of clearing thousands of landmines from the Danish coastline. They work under the watchful eye of Danish Sergeant Carl Rasmussen (Roland Møller), who often mistreats them. Through these characters,Land of Minedelves into themes of guilt, humanity, and the complexities of post-war reconciliation.
DirectorMartin Zandvlietdeftly combines psychological drama with knife-edge suspense. There are moments of high tension, like when the prisoners defuse live bombs by hand. There’s another fantastic scene where they venture out onto an uncleared beach to rescue a young Danish girl. Ultimately, the movie succeeds because it resists easy answers. All the characters here are realistic and morally gray. They are also capable of change, with both the POWs and their overseers being altered by the experience.
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8’The Day Will Come' (2016)
IMDb: 7.9/10
After their mother falls ill, brothers Elmer (Harald Kaiser Hermann) and Erik (Albert Rudbeck Lindhardt) are sent to a bleak orphanage run by the tyrannical headmaster Frederik Heck (Lars Mikkelsen). He uses his charges for labor and subjects them to frequent beatings to keep them in line. However, in Elmer and Erik, Heck may have found two children whose spirits he cannot break. They use their vivid imaginations to cope with their situation and begin plotting a daring escape.
The Day Will Comeis heavy going, all the more so since it’s based on a true story. Nevertheless, it is a great recreation of 1960s Denmark and the performances are stellar across the board. Mikkelsen, in particular, is fantastically loathsome. He may be most well-known for playing the Russian president inHouse of Cardsand the mage Stregobor inThe Witcher, but here he turns in a more restrained performance.
Editor’s Note: Not available for streaming.
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7’Flee' (2021)
This animated documentaryfocuses onAmin Nawabi, an Afghan man living in Denmark who recounts his experiences as a child fleeing his home country during the Soviet-Afghan War in the 1980s. He also discusses his strained relationship with his boyfriendKasperin the present day. The movie consists of interviews with Nawabi and animated recreations of his memories, interspersed with archival footage.
Fleestands in the tradition ofAri Folman’sWaltz with Bashir, which similarly used animation to engage with content that may be too overwhelming in live-action. It’s a detailed character study of one man, but it uses his story to shine a light on geopolitics and the refugee experience. At the 2022 Oscars, the movie achieved the impressive feat of being nominated for Best International Feature, Best Animated FeatureandBest Documentary. Be sure to watch the English dub, which features great narration byRiz AhmedandNikolaj Coster-Waldau.
6’Dancer in the Dark' (2000)
Another bleak gem from Lars von Trier,Dancer in the Darkstars Icelandic musician and actressBjörkas Selma Jezkova, a Czech immigrant who is gradually going blind. Despite her condition, Selma works tirelessly in a factory to provide a better life for her son, who also faces a hereditary risk of blindness. She hopes to raise enough money to pay for an operation that will spare him from her own fate. Selma escapes her harsh reality by immersing herself in a vivid, musical daydream world. However, a deadly accident threatens to throw her life into turmoil.
Once again, von Trier pairs moral drama (at times verging on horror) with experimental elements. For instance, during Selma’s daydreams, the movie breaks out into musical numbers that are shot in vibrant color, in contrast to the dull grays and blacks of the rest of the scenes. The music, mostly written by Bjork herself, is fittingly intense and gorgeous. Not for nothing,Dancer in the Darkearned von Trier the Palme d’Or.
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5’Dogville' (2003)
IMDb: 8.0/10
Lars von Trier’s most epic project unfolds in a minimalist and stage-like setting, depicting the fictional town of Dogville in the Rocky Mountains during the Great Depression. Grace (Nicole Kidman) seeks refuge there and, in return, agrees to work for the townspeople in an attempt to earn their acceptance. As time passes, the seemingly idyllic community reveals its dark underbelly, and Grace finds herself increasingly exploited and mistreated. Along the way, she crosses paths with a host of characters, played by a murderer’s row of talents such asLauren Bacall,Paul Bettany,Chloë Sevigny, Stellan Skarsgård, andJames Caan.
Dogvilleis boldly avant-garde and grand in scope, clocking in at a whopping three hours long. Endlessly allegorical, the movie critiques power dynamics, false morality and human cruelty. Depending on your point of view,it’s either a masterpieceor an extended exercise in navel-gazing. Its devotees includeQuentin TarantinoandDenis Villeneuve. The latter praised the experimental staging,saying, “The idea of making a set without walls to show the cowardice of a community was genius.”
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4’The Celebration' (1998)
A family gathers at a lavish estate to celebrate the 60th birthday of patriarch Helge (Henning Moritzen), a respected businessman. However, a shadow hangs over the affair: one of Helga’s children, Linda, has recently taken her own life. During the toast, Helge’s eldest son Christian (Ulrich Thomsen) makes a shock announcement. He alleges that his father sexually abused both him and Linda as children. The rest of the movie deals with the fallout of this accusation. The guests are stunned, but go on with the birthday festivities, symbolizing how people very often deny such abuse in real life.
The Celebrationwas the sophomore feature from Von Trier protégé and Dogme 95 co-founder Thomas Vinterberg, and it made for a substantial improvement over his debutThe Biggest Heroes. It’s quintessential Dogme, emphasizing raw, naturalistic storytelling and characterization over effects or technical wizardry. Both farcical and deathly serious, it’s one of the best black comedies of the 1990s.
3’Day of Wrath' (1943)
IMDb: 8.1/10
Set in 17th-century Denmark during the witch trials,Day of Wrathcenters on Anne Pedersdotter (Lisbeth Movin), a young woman whose mother is accused of witchcraft. Her mother is saved from the stake by the elderly pastor, Reverend Absalon Pederssøn (Thorkild Roose). In return, he is given Anne’s hand in marriage. Anne is unhappy in the union, and begins to fall for Pederssøn’s son, Martin (Preben Lerdorff Rye), who is her own age. However, transgressing the village’s strict moral code is a dangerous business.
Day of Wrathwas directed by Carl Theodor Dreyer, the godfather of Danish cinema. Like most of his work,it features atmospheric cinematography, intense performances, and moral dilemmas. Here, he examines themes of guilt, repression and religious zealotry. Some have even interpreted the film as a metaphor for the Nazi occupation of Denmark. Although not acclaimed on release,Day of Wrathis now considered a classic. It’s one of the few moviesto hold a 100% ratingon Rotten Tomatoes.
2’Ordet' (1955)
IMDb: 8.3/10
Ordet(meaning “The Word”) is another drama by Dreyer and is generally considered his masterpiece. At the heart of the story is Morten Borgen (Henrik Malberg), a respected elder in a rural village, who deals with various struggles with his three children, all involving faith. One of his sons, Mikkel (Emil Hass Christensen), has lost his father; another son (Preben Lerdorff Rye) loses his grip on reality and comes to believe that he is Jesus Christ, while the youngest (Cay Kristiansen) falls in love with the daughter (Gerda Nielsen) of a religious fundamentalist (Ejner Federspiel).
The film is highly regarded for its philosophical depth and its striking cinematography, using gorgeous black-and-white visuals andextensive long takesto bring the movie to life. The average modern movie comprises over 1000 shots;Ordethas just 114. Some of its best scenes, like the ending and Johannes’s sermon on the hilltop, are truly masterful. It makes for challenging but rewarding viewing, with plenty to say about belief, rebellion and love.
1’The Hunt' (2012)
Mads Mikkelsendeliversone of his most compelling performanceshere as Lucas, a kindergarten teacher in a tight-knit community whose life is shattered after one of his pupils falsely accuses him of sexual abuse. This triggers a chain reaction of suspicion and hostility from the community. Even when the child recants and the police opt not to pursue charges against Lucas, his neighbors only become more convinced of his guilt.
The Huntis a moral horror about the impact of a lie on a good man. Most movies with this sort of premise keep the audience guessing the whole way through whether the protagonist is really innocent. Here, director Thomas Vinterberg lets us know from the beginning that Lucas isn’t guilty. This makes the movie all the more chilling. We sympathize with Lucas, and it’s tough to watch his world collapse around him.The Huntrightly received critical acclaim on release, with some reviewers declaring it one of the finest psychological dramas ever made.
A teacher lives a lonely life, all the while struggling over his son’s custody. His life slowly gets better as he finds love and receives good news from his son, but his new luck is about to be brutally shattered by an innocent little lie.
