Jagten/The Hunt - Award Ceremony - TIFF 2012 - News

THE HUNT AND A ROYAL AFFAIR SELECTED FOR EFA

13 SEPTEMBER 2012 | BY FREJA DAM

…

Celebrated in Toronto

Meanwhile, "The Hunt" and "A Royal Affair" can rejoice in the great reception they've got at the Toronto International Film Festival, where both films have just enjoyed their world premiere.

"A Royal Affair" was met with standing ovations by the 2000 attending guests at the gala presentation last night, and has also been praised by critics. Read Roger Ebert's review in Chicago Sun-Times and Wall Street Journal's review

"The Hunt", screening in the Special Presentation section, has been equally well-recived. Read Twitch's review and Examiner's review

"The Hunt" is produced by Morten Kaufmann and Sisse Graum Jørgensen, and "A Royal Affair" is produced by Louise Vesth, Sisse Graum Jørgensen, Meta Louise Foldager, both films for Zentropa with support from the Danish Film Institute.

The Hunt — Jagten — Thomas Vinterberg

by Steve Gravestock

Mads Mikkelsen won the Best Actor prize at Cannes for his performance as an innocent man accused of child molestation in this ferociously powerful new film by Thomas Vinterberg (The Celebration).

PROGRAMMER'S NOTE

Certain to be one of the year's defining and most controversial films, The Hunt is an intelligent and disturbing dissection of Danish society, as ferocious as director Thomas Vinterberg's international breakthrough, The Celebration. Set in a small suburban town, the film stars Mads Mikkelsen as Lucas, a divorced daycare worker who is hoping to win custody of his estranged teenage son. Well-liked and easygoing, Lucas is an integral part of this tight-knit community, having lived in the town all his life and formed lifelong friendships with Theo (Thomas Bo Larsen) and Bruun (Lars Ranthe), who regularly organizes the men's hunting trips.

Beloved by the children under his care, Lucas also has a special bond with Klara (Annika Wedderkopp), the young daughter of Theo and his wife Agnes (Anne Louise Hassing). Frequently finding Klara wandering the neighbourhood alone — her only respite from the constant rows between her parents — Lucas takes to escorting her home. When Klara kisses him on the lips one day, a shocked Lucas rebuffs her, telling her that only mommies and daddies should kiss in that way. Hurt and angry, the child tells the incompetent head of the daycare that she has seen things she shouldn't have, sparking a modern-day witch hunt that targets Lucas and grows progressively uglier, until it begins to seem as if there is no way back for Lucas, his son, or his friends. Rumours, innuendo and lies spread through the town like a virus, transforming the once mild-mannered Lucas into a tormented and embittered pariah virtually overnight.

As in The Celebration, Vinterberg mercilessly reveals the hypocrisy behind some of his country's most cherished social ideals, particularly the close bonds of community, the sanctity of domesticity, and the innocence of childhood. The households we see are broken or dysfunctional — Theo and Agnes' unshakeable conviction that Lucas is guilty would be hard to believe if we hadn't already witnessed the festering resentments in their own home. Directed with consummate skill and driven by exceptional performances from a stellar cast, especially longtime Festival favourite Mikkelsen (who won the Best Actor prize at Cannes), The Hunt is one of the most troubling and powerful experiences of the year.


Director Biography

Thomas Vinterberg was born in Copenhagen. He made his feature debut with The Biggest Heroes (96). His second feature, The Celebration (98), won numerous awards worldwide, including the Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival. His other features are It's All About Love (03), Dear Wendy (05), When a Man Comes Home (07), Submarino (10) and The Hunt (12).