BRØDRE
Denmark, UK, Sweden, Norway
Synopsis
Director's Statement
Portraying the Danish military presence in Afghanistan gives the film a political aspect, but it’s mainly a love story about the conditions of love in our contemporary life style. The story is about the emotions linked to these events and for me, film is about describing emotions and showing feelings.
I like to get under the skin of my characters, which is why both the serious and the funny side of life are central in my films. It was important for me that the brutality in BROTHERS stood in contrast to human warmth, tenderness and intimacy. Both sides exist, and I couldn’t have described the one without the other, I wouldn’t want to. My goal is to acknowledge reality and find hope there, because no matter how brutal that reality is, humour is still an undeniable part of life and what keeps us warm.
Director's Biography
Bier later went on to direct the Award-winning features: FREUD LEAVING HOME (1990), FAMILY MATTERS (1993), LIKE IT NEVER WAS BEFORE (1995), CREDO (1997) and THE ONE AND ONLY (1999), which won a shower of Danish Film Awards, and was a huge success with the Danish movie goers, ONCE IN A LIFETIME, starring Swedish Helena Bergström, was released in December 2000. The critically acclaimed OPEN HEARTS (2002) became a box office hit domestically, and has participated in numerous film festivals. Susanne Bier's latest feature, BROTHERS starring Connie Nielsen, Ulrich Thomsen and Nikolaj Lie Kaas which opened in Denmark in September 2004, gained immediate success and international recognition winning numerous awards at prestigious festivals such as: Sundance International Film Festival, San Sebastian International Film Festival and FilmFest Hamburg
Susanne Bier is currently in post-production with her upcoming feature film AFTER THE WEDDING, to be released in February 2006.
Besides directing feature films, Susanne Bier's body of work also includes short films, music videos and commercials.
Cast & Crew
Directed by: Susanne Bier
Written by: Anders Thomas Jensen
Produced by: Sisse Graum-Jørgensen, Peter Aalbæk Jensen
Cinematography: Morten Søborg
Editing: Pernille Bech Christensen
Production Design: Viggo Bentzon
Costume Design: Signe Sejlund
Make-Up & Hair: Anne-Cathrine Sauerberg
Original Score: Johan Söderqvist
Sound Design: Per Streit
Cast: Ulrich Thomsen (Michael), Nikolaj Lie Kaas (Jannik), Bent Mejding (Henning), Connie Nielsen (Sarah)
Nominations and Awards
- European Film 2005
- European Director 2005
- European Actress 2005
- European Actor 2005
- European Screenwriter 2005
- European Composer 2005
- Feature Film Selection 2005