Peter Schønau Fog gewinnt mit „Kunsten at græde i kor“ sowohl den Publikums- als auch den Jurypreis beim 4. European Minority Film Festival in Husum

In den Tagen vom 22. bis 24. November 2012 hat die Friisk Foriining zum 4. Mal ein Film Festival organisiert, das Spielfilme in europäischen Minderheitensprachen zeigte. Beteiligt waren die westfriesische Produktion „Merke Blues“ (dtsch: Jahrmarkt-Blues), die baskische Komödie „Urteberri on, Amona!“ (dtsch: Frohes neues Jahr, Großmutter!), der mehrfach ausgezeichnete Spielfilm „Cigan“ (dtsch: Zigeuner) und die südjütischen Romanverfilmung „Kunsten at græde i kor“ (dtsch: Die Kunst, im Chor zu weinen).

In ihrer Eröffnungsrede am Donnerstag würdigte die Minderheitenbeauftragte des Ministerpräsidenten des Landes Schleswig-Holstein, Renate Schnack, das Projekt der Friisk Foriining als „europaweit einmalige Orchidee unter den Filmfestivals“.

Eine international besetzte Jury hat auf der Abschlussgala im Husumhus den von Arne Prohn gestalteten und mit 1000 Euro dotierten EUROPEAN MINORITY FILM AWARD 2012 an Peter Schønau Fog vergeben. Freudestrahlend nahm der dänische Regisseur zusammen mit dem Hauptdarsteller des Films, Jannik Lorenzen, den schweren Preis für „Kunsten at græde i kor“ entgegen (s. Foto). Dass der Film auch den Publikumspreis erhielt, freute nicht nur die beiden Protagonisten, sondern auch Enken Johannsen aus Niebüll, die bei der Verlosung unter allen Teilnehmern einen Hotelgutschein gewann.

Auf der Abschlussgala mit einem bunten Mix aus Filmausschnitten und Livemusik erhieleten die Filmschaffenden aus den europäischen Minderheitengebieten dann noch einmal Gelegenheit, für ihre Produktionen zu werben. Sie waren verwundert darüber, dass es bisher noch keinen Spielfilm in nordfriesscher Sprache gibt.

Das Musikprogramm des Abends wurde in hervorragender Weise von Ginger Redcliff (s. Foto), Gina Ohlmeier und Iaco Rigo & his Ethical Project bestritten.

Das EUROPEAN MINORITY FILM FESTIVAL 2012 ist das einzige Festival dieser Art in Europa. Das Projekt wird unterstützt durch den Beauftragten der Bundesregierung für Kultur und Medien über den Friesenrat, durch das Kino Center Husum und durch Sydslesvigsk Forening.
Weitere Informationen zum Festival mit der Laudatio für den Siegerfilm finden Sie unter www.minority-film.net

Peter Schønau Fog (r.) und Jannik Lorenzen mit dem EMFF-Award 2012

Tom Bola und Ginger Redcliff

JURY LAUDATIO: Kunsten at græde i kor

Moin og gojawten

A tøs det er grov glant te a få low te å sai lit om æ synnejysk film. Den sku jo ha het 'Æ kunst å græe i kor', men så lant række æ tolenrance i Danmark vist it. Det er den føest film å synnejysk, troe a nok.

Å Unescos jemmsie om truet sproch stå dæ, te synnejysk æ akut truet å dø ue. Det sku it gærn ske. Dæfå hofer a å manne fleje film å æ sproch.

'Kunsten at græde i kor' is a marvellous movie:
The social environment of a village in South Jutland /North Schleswig in the 1970s is described very precisely. I know that, because I grew up there in a neighboring village myself at that time. The music - reaching from Janice Joplin to Schubert - supports the atmosphere and mood of the film. Apart from that I want to give my personal compliments to the Danish composer of the original music.

The actors play very well, especially of course the boy Allan played by Jannik Lorenzen.
The story line progresses in a calm an unexcited way.

The very special thing about this movie is that it deals with an issue that was taboo for many years. When you hear that it is a movie about child abuse in the family, you expect to see and be witness to terrible things. But this is, surprisingly, not the case. The artistic genius is the ambiguity of the movie: We see the family though the eyes of the boy. But his naïve and innocent interpretations contrast with our knowledge about child abuse. The dilemma of the boy is - on the one hand - to keep his innocence and the love to his father and - on the other hand – realize what is really going on in the family and realize the hurt being done to his sister. At the end he has to make it clear where he stands. He ends up with the pragmatic South Jutish idiom that 'Det er it nowe så gal det it æ got for nowe'.
(Unfortunately not translated correctly in the English version).

It is a touching movie and a very brave one, too.
Although the quality of the contributions to the minority film festival was extraordinarily high this year, the jury found it easy to reach its decision. We are delighted to award the European Minority Film Award 2012 to 'Kunsten at græde i kor'.

The Art of Crying trailer on Estonian TV

The Art of Crying trailer on Estonian TV ERR.

K 7. detsembril kell 21.35
Kordus N kell 23.20
Maailma kino Nutmise kunst (Kunsten at græde i kor, Taani 2006) More info in estonian here.

Kunsten at græde i kor på DR K Tirsdag den 1. November kl. 21.

Nordens store kunstnere på DR K

I anledning af Nordisk Råds uddeling af priser til forfattere, musikere, filmfolk og mennesker, der gør en særlig indsats for natur og miljø, dedikerer DR K uge 44 til den nordiske kultur.

Gennem en række spillefilm, dokumentarer og portrætudsendelser har seerne mulighed for at opleve noget af det allerbedste fra de nordiske kunstnere og få indtryk af den store bredde, der findes i den nordiske kultur.

Læs mere her og her.

Kunsten at græde i kor dansk tv premiere

Kunsten at græde i kor har dansk tv premiere på DR 3. januar 2010.

DR Presse

NDTV Lumiere(India) Trailer

Please note that this is not the official trailer nor is it the original music used in The Art of Crying.

Release in Mexico

“El arte de llorar en coro”
release in Mexico
Distp. Alfhaville Cinema

Trailer in spanish here.
La Voz 7. feb. 2009: Review in spanish and in english(google translated).
Listin Diario: Review in spanish and in english(google translated).
La Jornada: Review in spanish and in english(google translated).
Por el lado oscuro: Review in spanish and in english(google translated).

Coolpolitics Audience Award

The Coolpolitics Audience Award

goes to
"The Art of Crying"
in Rotterdam

Coolpolitics homepage.

Premiere in The Slovak Republic

Umenie plakať.

Premiere in The Slovak Republic.

Dist: ASFK

SZTUKA PŁAKANIA release in Poland

SZTUKA PŁAKANIA

will be released the 16.5.2008 in Poland by Vivarto.

FlimWeb

Konsten att Gråta i Kör release in Sweden

Recensioner av »Konsten Att Gråta I Kör«: Kritiker.se

Release in the Czech Republic

The Art of Crying/Umění plakat will be released in the Czech Republic

by the distributor Aero Films the 3. of april. CSFD.

Best Danish Film of the Year

The Art of Crying received the Bodil award for Best Danish Film of The Year and Jesper Asholt received the Bodil Award for the Best Male Actor of The Year.

Jannik Lorenzen was also nominated for Best Male Actor of The Year and Hanne Hedelund was nominated for Best Supporting Actress of The Year.

A few days later The Art of Crying received the TV Zulu Award for Best Danish Film of The Year.

Some Habits are Meant to be Broken

Review by Deborah Nicol Dearth

READ THE REVIEW AT The Desert Sun.
Extended version:

Danish director Peter Schønau Fog has accomplished a great feat. He has taken a tragic film about depression and molestation and infused freshness and humor.

The Art of Crying is based on Erling Jepsen's novel about a rural South Jutland family in 1971. Their home life could not be worse, but youngest son Allan does not comprehend what surrounds him. However, when older brother Asger comes home from college, he is resentful of Asger's escape.

The family falls into an exhausting routine. To sum up the good days, Allan states, "When dad is happy, he forgets to kill himself." The bad days are something else. Father Henry argues with his wife regarding what a lousy person he is while threatening to end his life, and when she tires of this game Allan tries to cheer him up. As a last but all too common resort, Allan sends his 14-year-old sister downstairs to comfort their father, completely unaware of what that entails.

The story is narrated by Allan though his viewpoint is blurred. With the constant attention his dad requires to contain his depression, Allan guards him like a bulldog. He is young enough to
still be naïve, but on the brink of realizing all is not well. Jannik Lorenzen makes his film premiere in the role, and captures the character with a fierce rawness, shedding any possibility for pity.

Allan wishes harm on anybody who belittles his father, and surprisingly, this is where the humor is inserted. He discovers that his father gains confidence while delivering a eulogy and causing everyone else to cry for a change. Therefore, Allan surmises, his father's happiness must come from the death of others.

As he wishes his dad's grocery competitor ill and slides too many pills towards his ailing aunt, there is humor in his efforts. Sadly, he does not realize the irony of killing for a man who always
threatens to kill himself. But Allan has only ever known one purpose in life, and that is to ensure that his father lives to see the next day.

Allan's sister Sanne is portrayed by another first-time film actor, and Julie Kolbech superbly captures the young girl at the state when reason is edging its way into habit. Struggling to break free and enjoy life, every new experience is shattered by her jealous father. Each sibling is in a different stage of comprehension and thus coping while their mother watches in resignation. Jesper Asholt portrays Henry as an exposed nerve. He is not evil – he thinks his actions are
performed out of love, but they are the wrong actions and he clearly needs help.

Fog raises concern for a dreadful situation while allowing the film to be quite watchable. As protective as Allan is of his father, the viewer becomes protective of the little boy, hoping that he will realize some habits are meant to be broken.

Eight Awards from the Danish Film Academy!

Foto: Kristian Sæderup

All smiles for runaway best film
By The Copenhagen Post
Published 04.02.08 00:00

'The Art of Crying' capped a year of critical international and domestic acclaim by being named the best Danish movie of 2007

Winning a total of eight awards, including Best Film, Best New Director and the Audience Award, the riveting family drama 'The Art of Crying' was the evening's big winner on Sunday, when the Danish Film Academy handed out its 2007 Robert Awards.

'The Art of Crying' tells the story of precocious, eleven-year-old Allan, trying to keep his dysfunctional, rural family together during the social upheavals of the early 1970s.

In addition to being one of the country's biggest box office hits in 2007, 'The Art of Crying', and its director, Peter Schønau Fog, had harvested no less than 13 awards at film international festivals prior to Sunday's accolades.

It was also nominated as Denmark's entry in the Best Foreign Film category in this year's Academy Awards.

Also winning multiple awards on Sunday was the children's film 'Island of the Lost Souls'.

'Eastern Promises', starring Denmark's own Viggo Mortensen, received the Film Academy's nod as the Best Non-American Foreign Film. Mortensen is nominated for an Oscar in the Best Actor category.

(Correction: The Art of Crying has received 26 awards plus the 8 Roberts, Red.)

ROBERT AWARDS 2007

• Best Danish Feature Film: »Kunsten at græde i kor«, directed by Peter Schønau Fog.


• Best Director: Peter Schønau Fog »Kunsten at græde i kor«.


• The Audience Award: »Kunsten at græde i kor«.


• Best Supporting Actress: Hanne Hedelund in »Kunsten at græde i kor«.


• Best Supporting Actor: Jesper Asholt in »Kunsten at græde i kor«.


• Best Screenplay: Bo hr. Hansen in »Kunsten at græde i kor«.


• Best Score: Karsten Fundal in»Kunsten at græde i kor«.


• Best Costume Design: Margrethe Rasmussen in »Kunsten at græde i kor«.

Also nominated:

• Best Cinematography: Harald Paalgaard »Kunsten at græde i kor«.
• Best Actress: Julie Kolbeck »Kunsten at græde i kor«.
• Best Production Design: Søren Krag Sørensen »Kunsten at græde i kor«.

Nominated for Succes of the Year

Kunsten at vinde priser

Det er med filmen »Kunsten at græde i kor« som med barnet, der skal holdes i hånden og følges i skole. Vestjyden Peter Schønau Fog med baggrund på Fanø har slet ikke haft en chance for at slippe filmen og får det næppe heller foreløbig.

Af

Kirsten Lund Hansen
Foto: Timo Battefeld.

MERE HÆDER: Priserne er regnet ned over instruktøren Peter Schønau Fog og filmen »Kunsten at græde i kor«, - og der venter uden ret meget tvivl flere endnu. Men de mange priser koster.Kunsten at græde i kor« rører og berører. På den ene eller anden måde. Filmens far, vestjyden Peter Schønau Fog, har med sin egen baggrund fra Fanø omsat den sønderjyske forfatters Erling Jepsens ord om seksuelt og andet misbrug i sin egen barndom og familie til en film af internationale dimensioner. Mange priser og nomineringer, blandt de sidste til en Oscar-statuette, er fulgt succesen på lærredet. Efter en forevisning i USA oplevede instruktøren to helt modsatte reaktioner at se og opleve filmen på: Den totale identifikation og fortielsen... (Læs resten i JyskeVestkysten)

TV Zulu Award Nominations

Nomineringer:

Årets Danske Film:

Kunsten at græde i kor/Peter Schønau Fog

Årets mandlige hovedrolle:
Jesper Asholt/Kunsten at græde i kor

Årets kvindelige birolle:
Hanne Hedelund/Kunsten at græde i kor

Stem her!

Palm Springs stuff and Oscar predictions

Here's a bit of writings about The Art of Crying from The Palm Springs Filmfestival:

• Interview in Desert Sun.
• Review in Desert Sun.
• Review by S. James Wegg.
• Oscar predictions by dzong2.
• About Picture Europe! screenings.
• Robert audience award vote.
• Politiken vote.

Also did an interview on KMIR TV and some radio too - but these things aren't on the net I guess.

Bodil nomineringer

Filmmedarbejderforeningen i København nominerede fredag følgende film og skuespillere til Bodil­priserne for de bedste præstationer i 2007:

Bedste danske spillefilm:
"AFR", instrueret af Morten Hartz Kaplers.
"Fighter" (Natasha Arty).
"Hvid nat" (Jannik Johansen).
"Kunsten at græde i kor" (Peter Schønau Fog).

Bedste kvindelige hovedrolle:
Rikke Louise Andersson i "Hvid nat".
Noomi Rapace i "Daisy Diamond".
Sonja Richter i "Cecilie". Paprika Steen i "Vikaren".
Semra Turan i "Fighter".

Bedste mandlige hovedrolle:
Jesper Asholt i "Kunsten at græde i kor".
Kim Bodnia i "Ekko".
Lars Brygmann i "Hvid nat".
David Dencik i "Uden for kærligheden".
Jannik Lorenzen i "Kunsten at græde i kor".

Bedste kvindelige birolle:
Anne Sophie Byder i "Hvid nat".
Stine Fischer Christensen i "Ekko".
Trine Dyrholm i "Daisy Diamond".
Charlotte Fich i "Kærlighed på film".
Hanne Hedelund i "Kunsten at græde i kor".

Bedste mandlige birolle:
Dejan Cukic i "De unge år".
Morten Grunwald i "Hvid nat".
Nicolaj Kopernikus i "De fortabte sjæles ø".
Søren Malling i "De unge år".
Cyron Bjørn Melville i "Fighter".

Bedste amerikanske film:
"Darjeeling Limited" (instrueret af Wes Anderson).
"I'm not There" (Todd Haynes).
"Letters from Iwo Jima" (Clint Eastwood).
"Paranoid Park" (Gus van Sant).
"Zodiac" (David Fincher).

Bedste udenlandske, ikke-amerikanske film:
"Eastern Promises" (Storbritannien/David Cronenberg).
"Fire måneder, tre år og to uger" (Rumænien/Cristian Mungiu).
"Pans Labyrint" (Spanien/Mexico/Guillermo del Toro).
"Persepolis" (Frankrig/Vincent Paronnaud og Marjane Satrapi).
"Reprise" (Norge/Joachim Trier).
(Kilde: Ritzau)

Læs mere på Politiken, Information, TV2 Vip.

Robert nomineringer

Pressemeddelelse – 12.12.07

TÆT LØB TIL ROBERT!
ÅRETS ROBERT-NOMINERINGER 2008

Hvem der vinder de eftertragtede priser ved ROBERT-uddelingen 2008 bliver svært at spå om. Hele fire film har, med 10 nomineringer hver, spredt feltet og gjort bookmakernes job med at gætte vinderne sværere, end det længe har været. Spændingen udløses til ROBERT-festen søndag den 3. februar.

De fire topscorere er Peter Schønau Fogs KUNSTEN AT GRÆDE I KOR, Nikolaj Arcels DE FORTABTE SJÆLES Ø og Ole Bornedals to film KÆRLIGHED PÅ FILM og VIKAREN - alle med 10 nomineringer hver.

To af disse titler er også nominerede til årets bedste film; KUNSTEN AT GRÆDE I KOR og KÆRLIGHED PÅ FILM. De får selskab af EKKO, DAISY DIAMOND og HVID NAT.

Årets bedste børne- og ungdomsfilm skal findes i et stærkt felt mellem DE FORTABTE SJÆLES Ø, JUNGLEDYRET HUGO - FRÆK SOM ALTID, TEMPELRIDDERNES SKAT II, KARLAS KABALE og VIKAREN

På skuespillersiden er det i kategorien Bedste mandlige hovedrolle garvede kræfter, der kæmper om statuetterne – alle fem nominerede - Anders W. Berthelsen, Lars Brygmann, Kim Bodnia, David Dencik og Søren Pilmark har tidligere været nomineret i denne kategori, men kun David Dencik har vundet.

Årets nominerede til bedste kvindelige hovedrolle tæller et lige så stærkt, men mere spredt felt. Fra den flerdobbelte ROBERT-vinder Paprika Steen, over Bodil Jørgensen, Rikke Louise Andersson, svenske Noomi Rapace og debutanten Julie Kolbeck.

Publikumsprisen, hvor alle fra 1. januar kan stemme på netop deres danske favoritfilm, foregår igen i år i samarbejde med Filmkalenderen og Byen Kalder: www.byenkalder.dk

ROBERT-FESTEN AFHOLDES SØNDAG D. 3 FEBRUAR 2008

Afstemningen mellem de på listen nominerede kategorier afgøres af Danmarks Film Akademis medlemmer.

Udover de på vedlagte liste nominerede kategorier uddeles der endvidere ROBERT-priser for Bedste korte og lange dokumentar, Bedste korte og lange fiktion/animation, Bedste amerikanske og Bedste ikke-amerikanske film, Publikumsprisen samt årets Æres-ROBERT.

Med venlig hilsen
Bestyrelsen for Danmarks Film Akademi

ROBERT-NOMINERINGER 2008:

ANTAL NOMINEREDE PR. FILM:
De fortabte sjæles ø 10 stk.
Kunsten at græde i kor 10 stk.
Kærlighed på film 10 stk.
Vikaren 10 stk.
Ekko 9 stk.
Daisy Diamond 7 stk.
Hvid nat 6 stk.
Cecilie 5 stk.
Karlas Kabale 5 stk.
Uden for kærligheden 3 stk.
De unge år, Erik Nietsche sagaen del. 1 2 stk.
Hvordan vi slipper af med de andre 2 stk.
Den sorte Madonna 1 stk.
Hjemve 1 stk.
Jungledyret Hugo, Fræk som altid 1 stk.
Kollegiet 1 stk.
Ledsaget udgang 1 stk.
Tempelriddernes Skat II 1 stk.

Årets børne– og ungdomsfilm
DE fortabte sjæles ø
Zentropa Productions17, prod. Sarita Christensen & Meta Louise Foldager
Instr. Nikolaj Arcel
JUNGLEDYRET HUGO, FRÆK SOM ALTID
PH3 ApS & A Film, prod. Irene Sparre Hjorthøj & Per Holst
Instr. Jørgen Lerdam & Flemming Quist Møller
KARLAS KABALE
Nordisk Film A/S, prod. Thomas Heinesen & Michael Reiks
Instr. Charlotte Sachs Bostrup
TEMPELRIDDERNES SKAT II
M&M Productions A/S, prod. Tivi Magnusson & Mie Andreasen
Instr. Giacomo Campeotto
VIKAREN
Thura Film, prod. Michael Obel
Instr. Ole Bornedal

Årets film
Daisy diamond
XX Film ApS, prod. Jonas Frederiksen
Instr. Simon Staho
ekko
Zentropa Productions2 ApS, prod. Sarita Christensen
Instr. Anders Morgenthaler
hvid nat
Nimbus Film i samarbejde med Fine & Mellow, prod. Birgitte Skov & Morten Kaufmann
Instr. Jannik Johansen
Kunsten at græde i kor
Final Cut Productions ApS, prod. Thomas Stenderup
Instr. Peter Schønau Fog
kærlighed på film
Thura Film, Prod. Michael Obel
Instr. Ole Bornedal

Årets instruktør
Nikolaj Arcel, De fortabte sjæles ø
ole bornedal, Kærlighed på film
Peter Schønau Fog, Kunsten at græde i kor
anders morgenthaler, Ekko
Simon Staho, Daisy Diamond

Årets mandlige hovedrolle
ANDERS W. BERTHELSEN, Kærlighed på film
Lars BRYGMANN, Hvid nat
Kim BODNIA, Ekko
DAVID DENCIK, Uden for kærligheden
SØREN PILMARK, Hvordan vi slipper af med de andre

Årets mandlige birolle
Jesper Asholt, Kunsten at græde i kor
Morten grunwald, Hvid nat
Kristian halken, Karlas kabale
nikolaj lie kaAS, Kærlighed på film
ulrich thomsen, Vikaren

Årets kvindelige hovedrolle
Rikke louise andersson, Hvid nat
Bodil Jørgensen, Hjemve
Julie Kolbeck, Kunsten at græde i kor
Noomie Rapace, Daisy Diamond
Paprika Steen, Vikaren

Årets kvindelige birolle
Trine dyrholm, Daisy Diamond
charlotte fich, Kærlighed på film
Hanne Hedelund, Kunsten at græde i kor
ellen hillingsø, Karlas Kabale
karen lise mynster, Uden for kærligheden

Årets manuskript
PETER ASMUSSEN & SIMON STAHO, Daisy Dimond
Ole Bornedal, Kærlighed på film
Bo Hr. hansen, Kunsten at græde I kor
Mette Heeno & Anders Morgenthaler, Ekko
Anders Thomas Jensen & Jannik Johansen, Hvid nat

Årets fotograf
DAn laustsen, Kærlighed på film
DAn laustsen, Vikaren
Harald Paalgard, Kunsten at græde i kor
kasper tuxen, Ekko
Rasmus Videbæk, De fortabte sjæles ø

Årets scenograf
charlotte bech, Hvid nat
Marie í Dali & Rie Lykke, Vikaren
Søren gam, De unge år, Erik Nietsche sagaen del. 1
Niels Sejer, De fortabte sjæles ø
Søren Krag Sørensen, Kunsten at græde i kor

Årets kostumier
Marie flyckt, De fortabte sjæles ø
Maria gyllenhoff, Cecilie
ole kofoed, Vikaren
Manon Rasmussen, De unge år, Erik Nietsche sagaen del. 1
Margrethe Rasmussen, Kunsten at græde i kor

Årets sminkør
Kamilla Bjerglind, De fortabte sjæles ø
elizabeth bukkehave, Kærlighed på film
elizabeth bukkehave, Vikaren
Kamilla egenfeldt, Daisy Diamond
Henrik Steen, Ekko

Årets special effects
Thomas dyg, Cecilie
Michael Holm, Alexander MArtin & Hummer Højmark, Den sorte Madonna
hummer højmark & jeppe nygaard christensen, De fortabte sjæles ø
morten jacobsen, thomas foldberg & michael holm, Kollegiet
daniel silverfeldt, Vikaren

Årets lyd/sounddesigner
Nino jacobsen, Kærlighed på film
Nino jacobsen, Vikaren
Hans christian kock & Claus lynge, De fortabte sjæles ø
Kasper Janus Rasmussen & Rasmus Winther Jensen, Ekko
Bjørn Vidø & Gregers Kjar, Cecilie

Årets klipper
Janus billeskov jansen, Daisy Diamond
mikkel e.g. nielsen, De fortabte sjæles ø
thomas krag, Vikaren
theis schmidt, Ekko
Anders villadsen, Kærlighed på film

Årets score
Trond Bjerknæs, Cecilie
Jane Antonia Cornish, De fortabte sjæles ø
Karsten Fundal, Kunsten at græde i kor
Jeppe Kaas, Karlas kabale
Henrik Lindstrand, Ekko

Årets sang
Sanne graulund “let’s get rid of the others”, Hvordan vi slipper af med de andre
Kira & the kindred spirits “hand of faith”, Cecilie
lacrosse ”you can’t say no forever”, Uden for kærligheden
Kim Larsen “Jeg er en af de få, der er mange af”, Ledsaget udgang
Elisabeth gjerluf nielsen “Lille Svale”, Karlas kabale

Nominated for 10 Robert awards!

According to Ekstra Bladet The Art of Crying/Kunsten at græde i kor has been nominated in 10 categories including Best Film and Best Actress for Julie Kolbeck.(I haven't found any info on the rest of the nominations yet).

The Robert awards are given by The Danish Film Academy.

Btw. the readers of the danish newspaper, Politiken, are voting to the best danish film of the year: here. And the 13. of december will the Golden Globe nominees be announced.

Another vote for best danish film: BT

Kunsten at græde i kor receives two awards!

Bratislava Film Festival

Award for the Best Actress
Julie Kolbeck
Despite of her young age she succeeds in portraying complicated levels of a daughter who has to cope with an impossible relationship to her father and family.

The Slovak Television Award for Best Film
The Art of Crying
dir. Peter Schønau Fog
For original, non-pathetic and impressive narration about tragic victims of perverted love between parents and their children.

The total statistics for films screened at the festival came to 196 films from 38 countries. 135 screenings were attended by over 21,000 viewers. The average number of visitors for one screening was 157, which gives the ninth IFF Bratislava the status of most viewer-oriented festival in its history.

Read about it in Der Nordschleswiger in german or translated to english.

Hollywood Reporter review

The Art of Crying
Bottom Line: Its relentlessly despairing tone will make it a hard sell overseas.

By Richard James Havis
Nov 28, 2007
Final Cut Prods.

NEW YORK -- This slice of Nordic doom and gloom envelops the gruesome behavior of its subjects in a jaunty charm. The story of a dysfunctional family with a tyrannical, child-abusing father ambles along like a gentle pastoral tale. The clash of style and subject matter ultimately proves quite startling, as does the movie's capacity for meting out forgiveness. But its relentlessly despairing tone will make it a hard sell overseas. The Danish film screened at the EFP New York Industry Screenings.

"The Art of Crying," directed by Peter Schonau Fog from a novel by Erling Jepsen, is told from the point of view of 11-year-old Allan (Jannik Lorenzen). Allan is in the thrall of his unsavory father, Papa (Jesper Asholt), who suffers from an inferiority complex and bullies his two children. Papa uses Allan to keep tabs on daughter Sanne (Julie Kolbeck), especially when she's dating. Suspicions about Papa's overzealous investigations into Sanne's romances are confirmed when he's revealed as an incestuous child molester.

The script, by Bo Hr Hansen, cleverly expresses the nonjudgmental view of a child who doesn't know any better. Allan doesn't realize that there's anything wrong with his family and is quite proud of his father until it dawns on him that Papa's relationship with Sanne is not quite right. The mother, played by Hanne Hedelund, is a study in cowardice, allowing the abuse to continue. The film also examines how rural isolation can build close-knit communities oblivious to general standards of right and wrong.

Performances are all above par, with Asholt managing to immerse himself in the role of a child abuser.

The Art of Crying qualified for “The 65th Annual Golden Globe Awards”

61 FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILMS ELIGIBLE FOR “THE 65th ANNUAL GOLDEN GLOBE AWARDS” TO BE TELECAST LIVE ON NBC AT 8 PM ON SUNDAY, JANUARY 13, 2008

HOLLYWOOD, CA, November 29, 2007 – 61 foreign language films have been qualified for “The 65th Annual Golden Globe Awards” consideration honoring 2007 achievements, it was announced today by Jorge Camara, President of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association.

The Art of Crying aka Kunsten at græde i kor is among the 61 qualified films. Check out the list here!

Nominations for “The 65th Annual Golden Globe Awards” will be announced at 5:00 a.m. on Thursday, December 13. “The 65th Annual Golden Globe Awards” will take place Sunday, January 13, 2008 at The Beverly Hilton with a live telecast airing on NBC at 8 PM (EST) and produced by Dick Clark Productions in association with the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. Jorge Camara is President of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. Barry Adelman is executive producer. Chris Donovan is director. Al Schwartz is consulting producer. Ken Shapiro is producer. Ron Weed is consulting producer. Bob Bardo is executive in charge of production.

Kunsten at græde i kor DVD ekstra-ekstra materiale

Da jeg syntes at den netop udgivne dvd med 'Kunsten at græde i kor' gevaldigt savner ekstra materiale(mod min vilje), har jeg lavet et lille slideshow med arbejds-fotos min bror og jeg tog under produktionen. Jeg håber også, at det kan bringe lidt gode minder fra optagelserne frem hos jer der har været med til at lave filmen.

God fornøjelse,
Peter

(Fra en sønderjysk lokalavis: Kvickly i Tønder fortæller. at man i første omgang havde 50 film, men at de blev udsolgt på en halv time. Omkring 90 er skrevet op til en dvd, som Kvickly naturligvis har bestilt en ekstra bunke af. - De kunne ikke rigtig forstå derovre i København, at vi skulle have så mange forklarer Jonna Schmidt, der regner med, at man kan blive ved med at skaffe film - i hvert fald foreløbig.)

Jydske Vestkysten: Kunsten at skrive en autograf.

DVD anmeldelser: Filmnet, Filmhjørnet, DVDvenner, On-z, Filmz, Film Blast

GD.no review in norwegian

Dejligt og dansk

«Kunsten å gråte i kor»
Regi: Peter Schønau Fog
Med bl.a. Jesper Asholt, Hanne Hedelund, Jannik Lorenzen og Julie Kolbeck
Anmeldt av
Per Ivar Henriksbø
Publisert 09.11.2007 - 12:44

Jøss, for en film! Det forundrer meg ikke det minste at «Kunsten å gråte i kor» fikk Nordisk Råds filmpris for 2007. Hvis vår hjemlige kandidat til Oscar-nominasjonen «Tatt av kvinnen» greier å danke ut danskenes bidrag, må det være noe riv ruskende galt med juryen. Ikke til forkleinelse for dramatiseringen av Erlend Loes lett traumatiske møte med det motsatte kjønn. Men når våre brødre og søstre i sør knuser til med film av sånt format, er det bare å bøye seg i ærbødighet, respekt og ydmykhet, og erkjenne at så gode er vi ennå ikke blitt her til lands at vi er i stand til å matche genistreker som «Kunsten å gråte i kor».

Denne filmen har det meste en fortelling skal ha. Humor, dramatikk, melankoli, spenninger, vendepunkt, troverdighet, storartede bilder og fenomenalt skuespill av barn som voksne. Jeg har knapt sett bedre av det siste i skandinavisk film laget i den sosialrealistiske hverdagssjangeren. Store ord skal man være forsiktig med. Men her ser jeg ikke mange grunner for å spare på akkurat dem.

Den ytre fortellingen opprører, den indre rører ved oss. Jeg lo og ble oppriktig grepet om en annen. Kanskje mest av alt fordi fortellingen er så troverdig, og skildringene så eksepsjonelt gode.

Når historien fortelles med slik innsikt i filmmediets muligheter og fortrinn, er det bare å gi seg ende over. Det er stort å være på kino når lerretet får format av dette kaliberet.

Handlingen er lagt til tidlig på 1970-tallet. Vi befinner oss på bygda i en familie der faren er en sykelig selvmedlidende patriark av en småkjøpmann og et naturtalent i å holde spontane begravelsestaler for kreti og pleti. Kona har dels resignert, og tar sovepiller i stedet for å høre på en mann som synes gruelig synd på seg selv og foretar seg ting man ikke skal. Eldstesønnen har flyttet for å få seg utdannelse og stifte bo. Tenåringsdatteren er barnet som må trøste faren på alle mulige måter når han er lei seg og truer med å ta livet sitt. Minstemann, elleve år gamle Allan, er pappas øyesten som imidlertid må tåle en ørefik i ny og ne. Han er på mange måter limet i familien.

«Kunsten å gråte i kor» er en fortelling om incest og overgrep, om livsløgner og privatlivets fred, om oppvekst og generasjonskløfter. Her er det barna som tar de voksnes ansvar, mens de voksne (ikke nødvendigvis av ondskap) indirekte legger egne plikter på ungene. Først og fremst er det en historie om forfall.

Dette er filmen du bare MÅ se!

Peter Schønau Fog receives the Nordisk Film Award 2007

Since 1996 The Nordisk Film Foundation has distributed an honorary award by the name of The Nordisk Film Award. The award is given to one or more persons who have contributed in an extraordinary way to the Danish media environment.

Today, Nordisk Film celebrated its 101 year’s birthday. Two awards were given at a ceremony in Valby. The Nordisk Film Award of DKK 101.000 went to the man behind “The Art of Crying”, movie director Peter Schønau Fog. At the same occasion, cinematographer Dan Laustsen received the newly established Erik Balling travel grant of DKK 50.000.

The Nordisk Film Award 2007: Peter Schønau Fog was already hailed as Danish movie’s new talent because of his graduating movie from Filmskolen in 1999. Now, his first feature movie, “The Art of Crying”, is Denmark’s candidate for an Oscar. The Nordisk Film Fund’s prize committee write, as their reason for the selection of Schønau to receive the Nordisk Film Award, that he has “a special ability to localize a heart-rending story about the harsh conditions of life.” Dreyer once said; “The big dramas take place in quiet,” this, think the committee, proves Schønau with “The Art of Crying”, where the voice is never raised, even with incest, arson causing lose of life, three funerals and a half-hearted suicide.

Erik Balling’s Travel Grant 2007: Cinematographer Dan Laustsen received Erik Balling’s Travel Grant of DKK 50.000. He has created pictures on a long line of Danish movies – from “Rubber Tarzan” over “Night Watch” to “Just another Love Story” which is still in the theaters. About the reason given for the choice it was said “It might seem a little superfluous to give Dan Laustsen a travel grant, as he is a photographer who obviously gets to travel a lot. But the travel grant is to be interpreted as an invitation to go home, because it is here, Dan has played an important part for almost 30 years.”

The awards were given by Poul Nesgaard, principal at the Danish Film School, and Peter Schepelern, lector in Film and Media Science at the University of Copenhagen. They are both members of Nordisk Film prize committee.

Read about it at Nordisk Film.

FIRPRESCI review from Reykjavik

"The Art of Crying":The Art of Balancing
By Annika Koppel, FIRPRESCI

Danish helmer Peter Schønau Fog's tragic-comedy The Art of Crying (Kunsten at græde i kor, 2006) deals with the delicate and dark matter of child abuse in a family, where the father terrorizes all of its members with his constant crying and suicide threats.

Bo Hr. Hansen wrote the screenplay, which is based on a novel by Erling Jepsen. The story is told through the eyes of an eleven-year-old boy Allan (Jannik Lorenzen). He is one of those witty boys, with big glasses, who not only observes the world around him curiously but is ready to take some action if needed. He adores his father, as children usually do, although the father obviously has some serious mental problems. His mother seems to not notice anything and sleeps, when help is needed. Allan wants him to be happy. The father likes to recite eulogies at funerals and that is the real art of crying. Allan even lends him a helping hand to make sure there are enough funerals and that his father would be happy. At least, he imagines he does.

Allan also insists that his bigger sister Sanne (Julie Kolbech) goes downstairs to comfort his father when he is crying. Their big brother has already moved away. When he visits the family, it begins to become clear what kind of comforting is needed. The eleven-year-old boy is innocent and poignant in his belief that the world of grown-ups is normal and good in every sense although the surroundings do not support this. For example, his aunt has turned out to be like a caricature; the father's birthday and family get-together is a real mess — these are the comic moments of the film. Nobody listens to the others and finally the dad cries again.

Jannik Lorenzen is very good in Allan's role; Jesper Asholt plays a credible monster-pervert father. The mother's character raises some questions, which is not to say that she has no character at all as she does have a tired "leave me alone" attitude. Only the episode where she helps Sanne to get ready for the party suggests how tightly she has been controlled by the father.

The film shows step-by-step how the boy's understanding of good and evil will increase and he begins to notice that his father's crying is the reason for the others' discomfort. The father makes his daughter's emerging relationship with Per (Sune Thomsen)fail, sends Allan to supervise their meeting and after that complains to the police. This is a turning point when Allan's devotion to dad starts to crumble.

The story is beautifully told in the film; there is nothing redundant or trivial. It has been difficult to handle a subject that has been taboo for a long time in a way that would not leave the audience disturbed and frightened, or even disgusted. That was not the purpose. On the other hand, there was a big risk that it would turn into comedy — fortunately this did not happen. Fog artfully balances between these two extremes, keeping a sensible and delicate approach, mixing humor, grief, violence, manipulation and hypocrisy into a bitter cocktail of realism. It has been a real art of balancing.

The director believes that this film is a chance to address the serious subject matter of child abuse in a way that people could not turn away from, by telling the story in the tone and viewpoint of a young boy. It's true, that this subject matter is far too important to be ignored and maybe his hope to be able to create awareness about a huge problem within families finally proves fruitful. This problem can only be solved if someone dares to take on the responsibility to rise up, interact and talk out loud.

Peter Schønau Fog has said it loud. Even if the film does not change the world, this is at least considerable reason for making a film. Definitely The Art of Crying is a good film and a memorable debut.

Annika Koppel© FIPRESCI 2007
Annika Koppel is a film critoic in Estonia. She works for the newspaper "Postimees" and the magazines "Sirp", "Theater. Music. Cinema."

The Best Script Award in Warsaw

23RD WARSAW INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

The Best Script Award

Sztuka płakania/ The Art Of Crying/ Kunsten at grade i kor

script: Bo hr. Hansen

dir: Peter Schønau Fog

Denmark

Denmark Leads Nordic Oscar Chances

(Well - that's according to rankinghigh.blogspot.com)

Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden have all chosen their official Oscar entries for next year's Academy Awards. Peter Schønau Fog’s masterpiece The Art of Crying was chosen 2007's best picture by the Nordic Council and that gives the film a major boost compared to the other films that were competing against it. Finland's and Iceland's official Oscar submissions were also nominated for the Nordic Council's Film Prize and lost - so their Oscar chances are not as high as Denmark's. Sweden and Norway did not compete for the award with their Oscar hopefuls. Here's a quick look at the five films from the Nordic area...

Continue reading here!

Winners of the Nordic Council Film Prize 2007

Nordic Council's Film Prize 2007:

The winning film is 'The Art of Crying' from Denmark.

The jury's explains its choice of winner:

Seen through the eyes of a young boy 'The Art of Crying' depicts the absurdity and even horror of family life with laconic humour. Disturbing and entertaining at the same time the film handles the difficult subject of child abuse sharply but humanely. It boldly reveals the repressive forces at work underneath the sunny surface of a small rural town.

‘Art of Crying’ takes top Nordic prize
By The Copenhagen Post
Offentliggjort 10.10.07 kl. 10:00
Peter Schønau Fog’s masterpiece was chosen for yet another international award in taking this year’s Nordic Council Film Prize

The accolades keep piling up for Peter Schønau Fog, who will add the 2007 Nordic Council Film Prize to his collection of trophies for his powerful film ‘The Art of Crying’.

The council announced its award winners Tuesday. The official award ceremony will take place 31 October at the Danish Film Institute in Copenhagen.

Fog’s masterpiece about a child’s abused and troubled youth has garnered 13 international awards since its premier at the Toronto Film Festival in 2006. It has also been selected by the country’s film experts to compete for a nomination for an Oscar for best non-English language film.

‘The Art of Crying’ has done well in Danish cinemas since its screen release in April, selling enough tickets at the box office to make it the most successful non-comedy movie in Denmark this year.

The Nordic Council Film prize was created in 2005, with Danish director Per Fly winning the first award for his film ‘Manslaughter’. The award carries with it a monetary prize of DKK 350,000 (EUR 47,000).

It is given to an artistically originally film that draws on Nordic cultural talents and traditions.

My(Peter Schønau Fog) speech in danish:

Det er meget stort og overvældende at skulle modtage Nordisk Råds film pris. Tusinde tak.

Når jeg ser hvilke film ”Kunsten at græde i kor” har været oppe imod gør det mig meget ydmyg og taknemmelig. Det er film der hver især en er påmindelse om hvor meget vi i Norden kan lære meget om hinanden og derigennem ikke mindst om os selv. Så lad det være en opfordring til de nordiske distributører... (Her i København går Reprise vist som den eneste af filmene – det er slet og ret et mesterværk – så skynd jer ind og se Joachims film.)

Jeg vil gerne takke de mennesker, der har støttet mig gennem nogle meget hårde år.

Her tænker jeg på min vidunderlige kæreste Sine Ingemann, mine brødre Henrik og Morten og mine forældre Nana og Carl Erik. De skal have den største tak for det er dem jeg har grædt ud hos når urimelighederne er vokset til uoverstigelige store bjerge. Og de som giver mig troen tilbage på, at selv om jeg måtte kæmpe mod en direkte destruktiv mistillid ville det kunne lykkes at lave en film, som jeg kunne stå inde for.

Derudover vil jeg takke de, som valgte at gå loyalt og konstruktivt med i den retning som jeg mente var nødvendig. Her tænker jeg særligt på manuskriptforfatter Bo Hr. Hansen, fotograf Harald Paalgard, klipper Anne Østerud, tonemester Peter Schultz, komponist Karsten Fundal.

Til skuespillerne vil jeg blot sige jeg holder meget af jer, og nød hvert et øjeblik med jer, tusinde tak for det.

Jeg vil til Janniks og Julies forældre sige, hold op hvor har I nogen vidunderlige unger. I skal have en meget stor tak for jeres tillid til, at jeg kunne bringe dem igennem noget så vanvittigt som en filmproduktion på en ordentlig måde.

Tak til Erling Jepsen for din tillid til at jeg og vi kunne tage vare på dit livs historie på en anstændig vis.

Og til slut vil jeg takke sønderjyderne for uden jeres generøse hjælp ville det aldrig have lykkes at lave filmen ”Kunsten at græde i kor”, og uden jeres humor havde jeg nok ikke overlevet.

Jeg er meget taknemmelig og meget lettet over at jeg med Nordisk Råds Film pris kan hvile i troen på, at jeg har båret mit ansvar igennem på anstændigvis vis og nået i mål. Tak.