Hævnen

Hævnen, or In A Better World, as it is known in English, is a Danish film directed by Susanne Bier that won both the Academy Award and the Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film in 2011. 

"Anton (Mikael Persbrandt) is a doctor who commutes between his home in an idyllic town in Denmark, and his work at an African refugee camp. In these two very different worlds, he and his family are faced with conflicts that lead them to difficult choices between revenge and forgiveness. Anton and his wife Marianne (Trine Dyrholm), who have two young sons, are separated and struggling with the possibility of divorce. Their older, ten-year-old son Elias (Markus Rygaard) is being bullied at school, until he is defended by Christian (William Jøhnk Nielsen), a new boy who has just moved from London with his father, Claus (Ulrich Thomsen). Christian's mother recently lost her battle with cancer, and Christian is greatly troubled by her death. Elias and Christian quickly form a strong bond, but when Christian involves Elias in a dangerous act of revenge with potentially tragic consequences, their friendship is tested and lives are put in danger. Ultimately, it is their parents who are left to help them come to terms with the complexity of human emotions, pain and empathy."

The acting, cinematography, and musical soundtrack are all perfect elements in a film that questions what it means to be on this planet; what it means to choose between peace and revenge. The story itself is perhaps a bit ponderous, but the message of the film is so strong and so heartfelt that one cannot come away from it untouched. Bier challenges Hollywood's notions of the age-old themes of life and death, rendering a fresh take on the fragility of humankind. I urge you all to see Hævnen. I haven't seen many Scandinavian films, but I will for sure remember this for a long time.

An Italian Key

An Italian Key written and directed by Rosa Karo in 2011, tells the tale of Cabella, an orphaned young woman who inherits an old key and travels to Italy to explore her family's history. Beautiful vistas of Italian countryside create the perfect backdrop for a languid, dreamlike fairy tale.

The Hobbit

On December the 12th I went to see The Hobbit at the cinema. And what a stunning film it is. Can't believe Middle Earth is really in New Zealand. Very proud and grateful to be living in such a beautiful country. In this video, Andy Serkis, an actor and director perhaps most well-known for his voice of Gollum in The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies, shares and reflects with Lonely Planet on his experiences of travelling and filming in New Zealand.

An Unexpected Briefing

The new safety video for Air New Zealand is The Hobbit-themed.

Romulus, My Father

I watched this film, Romulus, My Father, a while ago and loved it. Directed by Richard Roxburgh, starring Eric Bana, Franka Potente, Kodi Smit-McPhee, and Marton Csokas.

'Based on Raimond Gaita’s critically acclaimed memoir [and] it tells the story of Romulus, his beautiful wife, Christina, and their struggle in the face of great adversity to bring up their son, Raimond. It is the tale of a boy trying to balance a universe described by his deeply moral father, against the experience of heartbreaking absense and neglect from his mother. It is a story of impossible love that celebrates the unbreakable bond between father and son.’

This is quite possibly the greatest film to ever come out of Australia.

L'illusionniste

L'illusionniste is a beautifully enchanting French animation directed by Sylvain Chomet. The film is based on an unproduced script that was written in 1956 by Jacques Tati,  a French mime, director, and actor. The story is about an illusionist who is struggling to make a living in Paris, who moves to Scotland and while there, meets a young lady who is convinced he is a real magician, and to whom he becomes a father figure. It is believed that Tati's script was written as a love letter to his estranged daughter. The animation is delicate and atmospheric, setting the soft, sad tone of the film; enhanced by little dialogue but a perfect score. A wonderful film for a rainy evening.