Mifunes Sidste Sang

Denmark

Synopsis

Newly-wed Kresten lives a carefree big city life in Copenhagen until one day his prospects for a glorious and troublefree career are shattered by a phone call from his native island Lolland. With the news that his father has suddently died, Kresten is faced with explaining a past and family he had succesfully concealed.

The first problem Kresten has to confront is his retarded brother, Rud. It has been a few years since Kresten last visited the tumble-down ancestral farm and Rud has quite litterally gone to the dogs and it is obvious that he is not capable of living alone.

Embarrassed by his poonn rural up-bringing, and realising that he will have to stay at the farm awhile, Kresten teils one desperat lie alter another an the phone to his wife Claire. Growing closer to his bräther, Kresten thinks up a plan. To enable him to retuni to his comfortable city life, he advertises in the paper for a housekeeper. However, when the beautiful Liva arrives, life is turned upside down. Liva is not who she pretends to be,'and Claire becomes restless and increasingly suspicious in Copenhagen.

One by one unexpected guests arrive at the farmhouse - Rud thrives in the chaos that ensues whereas Kresten's lies only add to his confusion - until he realises that he has fallen head over heels for Liva ...

Director's Biography

Having graduated from FAMU's documentary directing programme in 1970, Søren Kragh-Jacobsenstarted out working as scriptwriter, on-line producer, program host, music composer and producer for the children and youth department of Denmark's radio DR where he also made five short features.

Filmography:
1977 DO YOU WANT TO SEE MY BEAUTIFUL BELLYBUTTON?
1980 GOODBYE LULOW, tv
1981 RUBBERTARZAN
1983 THUNDERBIRDS
1985 LIFE IS A GOOD REASON, tv1986 GOLDEN TREES
1987 EMMA'S SHADOW
1991 THE BOYS FROM ST. PETRI
1993 THE BISHOP FROM CORSICA
1996 THE ISLAND ON BIRD STREET
1999 MIFUNE
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Cast & Crew

Directed by: Søren Kragh-Jacobsen

Written by: Anders Thomas Jensen, Søren Kragh-Jacobsen

Produced by: Birgitte Hald, Morten Kaufmann

Cinematography: Anthony Dod Mantle

Editing: Valdis Oskarsdottir

Sound Design: Morten Degnbol, Hans Møller

Cast: Iben Hjejle (Liva), Anders W. Berthelsen (Kresten), Jesper Asholt (Rud)

Nominations and Awards

  • European Film 1999
  • European Actress 1999
  • European Actor 1999
  • Feature Film Selection 1999