Thomas Vinterberg

Birthday: 19 May 1969, Copenhagen, Denmark

Height: 183 cm

With Sidste omgang (1993) (Last Round), his graduation short from The National Film School of Denmark, he got an early taste of critical success. He received the Jury's and Producers' Awards at the International Student Film Fest in Munich and won the 1st Prize at the Tel Aviv Film Fest. Popular success followed with his breakthrough short fiction film, Drengen der gik baglæns (1995), about a boy, who - after the death of his brother - discovers he can turn back time by walking backwards. This poetic short film was followed the reckless and fast-paced thriller, De største helte (1996).Vinterberg is one of the founding "brothers" of dogme95, a set of rules dedicated to reintroducing the element of risk in filmmaking. Festen (1998) was not only his first Dogme95 project it was also his first international success. With this movie he "penetrated a layer of evil and abomination [he'd] never been to before" (according to an interview by Bo Green Jensen for Weekend Avisen). The story revolves around Family patriarch Helge Klingenfeldt Hansen, celebrating his 60eth birthday. In a speech the eldest son addresses his father, supposedly to honor him, only to reveal the father's darkest secret. Among other international prizes, Vinterberg received the Prix du Jury of the Cannes International Film Festival.His feature, It's All About Love (2003), is a departure from the dogme95 project. It is the story of John (Joaquin Phoenix) and Elena (Claire Danes), whose marriage has fallen apart. Their troubled relationship is reflected in their surroundings as Vinterberg attempts to create a parallel between the chaos of the world and the chaos inside the characters.Back in his homeland, Thomas Vinterberg nevertheless sticks to the English language. His Dear Wendy (2004), written by Lars von Trier, is a fierce attack against America's obsession with weapons. In 2007, Vinterberg returns to Danish with En mand kommer hjem (2007) whose subject (a singer comes home to the town he left behind) is appropriate to the circumstances. Vinterberg strikes hard with his next two works, Submarino (2010), the gloomy story of two brothers who try to cope with their depressing everyday lives and Jagten (2012), the shocking tale of a man who falls prey to a madding crowd. It will surprise nobody that Thomas Vinterberg's next project is a new adaptation of Thomas Hardy's 'Far from the Madding Crowd (2014)'. Hide

I think Dogme was inspiring for quite a few peoples and sort of started a digital movement. Personal Show more I think Dogme was inspiring for quite a few peoples and sort of started a digital movement. Personally, I found it extremely uplifting and fantastic making Dogme movies, but I felt I completed it with 'The Celebration.' I think that was the end of the road on Dogme for me. It was as far as I could go. Hide

I shot a Metallica video in Hollywood, and there were, like, 100 people on set. There was even a guy Show more I shot a Metallica video in Hollywood, and there were, like, 100 people on set. There was even a guy there to put antiseptic gel on my hands. Amazing. If I asked for that on a Danish set, they'd probably kick me out of the country. Hide

My whole life has been a very communal experience; growing up in a house full of happy hippies, havi Show more My whole life has been a very communal experience; growing up in a house full of happy hippies, having dinner parties three days a week, and going to Christiania, I was constantly surrounded by people celebrating community. If you look at the films I've done, they all share that theme. Hide

The success of 'The Celebration' was like a hand grenade exploding in my face. It suddenly gave me s Show more The success of 'The Celebration' was like a hand grenade exploding in my face. It suddenly gave me so many opportunities to explore things I had never done before. Hide

When you get a bad review, you hate the writer. It's very painful; whoever says the opposite lies. I Show more When you get a bad review, you hate the writer. It's very painful; whoever says the opposite lies. It's humiliating. Sometimes it comes from an honest place, but most times, it comes from a desire to trash someone. Hide

Denmark can be very small, provincial, and mediocre. Denmark can be very small, provincial, and mediocre.

I found I am not an anarchistic form creator; I'm intuitive, and I'm trying to figure out a way to e Show more I found I am not an anarchistic form creator; I'm intuitive, and I'm trying to figure out a way to explore human fragility. Hide

Thomas Vinterberg's FILMOGRAPHY

All as Actor (3) as Director (2) as Creator (2)

Another Round

The Hunt (2012)

The Oscars (2021)

The Celebration (Festen)

Far From The Madding Crowd