Latest news with #BlackCrab
Yahoo
31-01-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘The Girl With the Needle' Stars Trine Dyrholm and Vic Carmen Sonne Ready for Oscar Campaign in the Trump Era, Talk Abortion Rights: ‘Every Woman Should Be Able to Choose'
'The Girl with the Needle' stars Trine Dyrholm and Vic Carmen Sonne are slowly readying for the Oscar campaign. But following the U.S. election, the film – set in the early 20th century and dealing with unwanted pregnancies – feels increasingly timely, they say. 'Since Trump's inauguration at the White House it has been hard to keep up with what's going on and with what all of this is going to mean. Same goes for the abortion ban. We know what has already happened in several states, and it's devastating. But it's almost like people want to acknowledge these themes the film is revolving around. And that's a positive sign,' argues Vic Carmen Sonne at Göteborg. More from Variety Thomas Vinterberg, Goteborg's Artistic Director Pia Lundberg Address Controversial Remarks of Swedish Minister of Culture: 'Fight Back' 'Black Crab' Writer Pelle Rådström Wins the Nordic Series Script Award for 'Pressure Point' Girl in Red to Make Feature Film Debut in Maipo's 'Low Expectations' (EXCLUSIVE) The Danish actor plays Karoline: a young woman who, following a failed abortion, begins working at an 'adoption agency.' But its mastermind Dagmar (Dyrholm), always eager to help those who can't raise their children, seems to be hiding something. Directed by Magnus Von Horn, the drama – which premiered in Cannes and is now Oscar nominated as Best International Feature Film – is loosely based on a true story. 'It already felt very contemporary when we shot it in Poland. They are dealing with the same issues. They don't have free access to abortion, so the whole team was really affected by the film. You could feel it,' notes Dyrholm. 'Up until the election, I was very depressed. I wondered: 'What are we going to do?!' And then it happened, and I am getting more and more optimistic. It's very weird, actually. We need to stick together, we need to fight for a stronger Europe. Talking about love is more important than ever. We have to say: 'We dare to share, because we care.' I really mean it now.' During trying times, people want to share their 'fears and desperation,' she argues. 'We need topics that are difficult to deal with. This film is about abortion, about the unwanted, about PTSD experienced after the war. So many countries are dealing with these things. We have the right to choose and to have a good life, but it's not a given. The world is getting more and more divided, and when that happens, we need nuances. Complexity is exactly what's missing. We need a place where we can breathe and right now, that's cinema.' She noted: 'Why do we say 'yes' to projects like this one? Because we have the opinions we have. Every woman should be able to make a choice, of course. In Denmark, we changed the abortion law, and it will be legal up to the 18th week of pregnancy. But trying to say why we need art is also political.' According to Vic Carmen Sonne, the film's characters 'are trying to do the best they can with what they've been dealt.' 'When you have a marginalized group and you take away their rights, also the right to choose, you take away their voice and their existential freedom. And then what's going to happen? They're going to fucking rebel and revolt, and they're going to hit back,' she says. 'Karoline doesn't accept the state of things. She wants a good life, so she meets Prince Charming and comes to his castle. There's a pact between the Prince and the Beggar Girl, but it's something she enforces on him. It's not manipulation: it's determination.' Ultimately, 'The Girl with the Needle' should be viewed as a critique of society – not as a critique of its characters, often pushed to the edge. 'It's all about structures and hierarchies. If you push people too hard, they create an underworld. That's what Dagmar does. But she's also taking away these girls' guilt. She tells them: 'Maybe you don't have a future, but your child will.' She also says, 'Life is horrible but we have to pretend it's not.'' 'The key is to never judge your characters; the same way you shouldn't judge people. We put them into boxes. We say: 'Okay, here's Trump and his team, and over there you have the good guys.' It doesn't work like that. You can say when you don't like something, but you also need – at some point – to walk together. We don't have to agree. But we have to take care of each other. And bring back all these 'old-fashioned' words: Peace, love, caring.' Her co-star adds: 'A lot of this comes from fear. If you feel you are losing power, losing money, losing the capacity to provide for your family and friends, you seek a dictator. You seek the one who screams the loudest. I think most people on this planet haven't been told: 'You are amazing, we love you, your voice matters.' And that's important.' Best of Variety What's Coming to Netflix in February 2025 New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week What's Coming to Disney+ in February 2025
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘The Girl With the Needle' Stars Trine Dyrholm and Vic Carmen Sonne Ready for Oscar Campaign in the Trump Era, Talk Abortion Rights: ‘Every Woman Should Be Able to Choose'
'The Girl with the Needle' stars Trine Dyrholm and Vic Carmen Sonne are slowly readying for the Oscar campaign. But following the U.S. election, the film – set in the early 20th century and dealing with unwanted pregnancies – feels increasingly timely, they say. 'Since Trump's inauguration at the White House it has been hard to keep up with what's going on and with what all of this is going to mean. Same goes for the abortion ban. We know what has already happened in several states, and it's devastating. But it's almost like people want to acknowledge these themes the film is revolving around. And that's a positive sign,' argues Vic Carmen Sonne at Göteborg. More from Variety Thomas Vinterberg, Goteborg's Artistic Director Pia Lundberg Address Controversial Remarks of Swedish Minister of Culture: 'Fight Back' 'Black Crab' Writer Pelle Rådström Wins the Nordic Series Script Award for 'Pressure Point' Girl in Red to Make Feature Film Debut in Maipo's 'Low Expectations' (EXCLUSIVE) The Danish actor plays Karoline: a young woman who, following a failed abortion, begins working at an 'adoption agency.' But its mastermind Dagmar (Dyrholm), always eager to help those who can't raise their children, seems to be hiding something. Directed by Magnus Von Horn, the drama – which premiered in Cannes and is now Oscar nominated as Best International Feature Film – is loosely based on a true story. 'It already felt very contemporary when we shot it in Poland. They are dealing with the same issues. They don't have free access to abortion, so the whole team was really affected by the film. You could feel it,' notes Dyrholm. 'Up until the election, I was very depressed. I wondered: 'What are we going to do?!' And then it happened, and I am getting more and more optimistic. It's very weird, actually. We need to stick together, we need to fight for a stronger Europe. Talking about love is more important than ever. We have to say: 'We dare to share, because we care.' I really mean it now.' During trying times, people want to share their 'fears and desperation,' she argues. 'We need topics that are difficult to deal with. This film is about abortion, about the unwanted, about PTSD experienced after the war. So many countries are dealing with these things. We have the right to choose and to have a good life, but it's not a given. The world is getting more and more divided, and when that happens, we need nuances. Complexity is exactly what's missing. We need a place where we can breathe and right now, that's cinema.' She noted: 'Why do we say 'yes' to projects like this one? Because we have the opinions we have. Every woman should be able to make a choice, of course. In Denmark, we changed the abortion law, and it will be legal up to the 18th week of pregnancy. But trying to say why we need art is also political.' According to Vic Carmen Sonne, the film's characters 'are trying to do the best they can with what they've been dealt.' 'When you have a marginalized group and you take away their rights, also the right to choose, you take away their voice and their existential freedom. And then what's going to happen? They're going to fucking rebel and revolt, and they're going to hit back,' she says. 'Karoline doesn't accept the state of things. She wants a good life, so she meets Prince Charming and comes to his castle. There's a pact between the Prince and the Beggar Girl, but it's something she enforces on him. It's not manipulation: it's determination.' Ultimately, 'The Girl with the Needle' should be viewed as a critique of society – not as a critique of its characters, often pushed to the edge. 'It's all about structures and hierarchies. If you push people too hard, they create an underworld. That's what Dagmar does. But she's also taking away these girls' guilt. She tells them: 'Maybe you don't have a future, but your child will.' She also says, 'Life is horrible but we have to pretend it's not.'' 'The key is to never judge your characters; the same way you shouldn't judge people. We put them into boxes. We say: 'Okay, here's Trump and his team, and over there you have the good guys.' It doesn't work like that. You can say when you don't like something, but you also need – at some point – to walk together. We don't have to agree. But we have to take care of each other. And bring back all these 'old-fashioned' words: Peace, love, caring.' Her co-star adds: 'A lot of this comes from fear. If you feel you are losing power, losing money, losing the capacity to provide for your family and friends, you seek a dictator. You seek the one who screams the loudest. I think most people on this planet haven't been told: 'You are amazing, we love you, your voice matters.' And that's important.' Best of Variety What's Coming to Netflix in February 2025 New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week What's Coming to Disney+ in February 2025
Yahoo
28-01-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Thomas Vinterberg, Goteborg's Artistic Director Pia Lundberg Address Controversial Remarks of Swedish Minister of Culture: ‘Fight Back'
Acclaimed director Thomas Vinterberg and Goteborg's artistic director Pia Lundberg addressed controversial remarks of Swedish Minister of Culture Parisa Liljestrand. Lundberg admitted she was 'surprised' by the Minister's statement during the opening ceremony Jan. 24, which made for a 'tumultuous' start of the event. More from Variety 'Black Crab' Writer Pelle Rådström Wins the Nordic Series Script Award for 'Pressure Point' Girl in Red to Make Feature Film Debut in Maipo's 'Low Expectations' (EXCLUSIVE) 'Royal Blood' Sucks Attention for Scandi Alliance Broadcasting Trio 'The Swedish film industry [which has around $50.5 million a year in state support] is comparing itself to Denmark and Norway a lot. Denmark has twice as much money for local filmmaking production than Sweden. Norway has even more. Sweden is really far behind. Do you think Denmark could adopt Sweden on the film side?,' Lundberg asked Vinterberg during a public discussion. 'It was horrible, I heard,' he said. Vinterberg came to Sweden to pick up the Nordic Dragon Award. 'Ministers of Cultural Affairs… You quickly get rid of them. It's a maximum of four years. She'll vanish soon.' According to Lundberg, Swedish industry is sometimes 'jealous' of Danish films. But Vinterberg added: 'I don't think you have anything to learn from us. I think you have a lot of strength here and if you don't, then you'll find it soon. These are currents, these are waves that come and go. 'I think Danish film suffers from the same problem as your film industry right now, which is that amazing movies are being made – by young talents – and nobody goes to see them,' he added. 'And that makes it easy for the Minister of Cultural Affairs to piss on them. But if these films weren't made, we wouldn't be winning Oscars,' he said, mentioning Oscar-nominated 'The Girl with the Needle,' made by Goteborg-born Magnus Von Horn. 'Show faith in it. Fight for it and give its space, and then it'll grow. What we have in common is state support and great film schools. This combination is incredibly powerful. The fact that this is an art support system, where you can allow yourself to make movies about these kinds of topics, makes our film tradition super strong. 'It's with four white, semi-fat, sweaty guys teaching their students to drink alcohol.' [Making it] without financial support from the state? Good luck,' he said, referencing his own Oscar-winning 'Another Round.' 'We are very lucky. My American colleagues keep telling me how lucky we are that we have this support system. If your support system is being strangled by ministers who don't know anything about art, then you'll have to fight back,' said Vinterberg. During her Göteborg festival opening speech, Liljestrand tried to remind the festival audience that film is not only art but also a business, a business which also needs monitoring. 'There's a red carpet, gala dresses and jokes about cultural budgets. And so you clearly distance yourself from commercial film. …but the film industry is actually commercial. Everyone knows that,' she said before adding in a defiant tone that upset the festival audience: …'Sometimes you can get the impression that all politics should do is count up funds, and otherwise not ask any questions. But that is really not the job of politics.' 'I know that many culture ministers before me have wanted to portray themselves as the best friends and foremost representatives of the various industries in the government.,' she went on. 'You might get a lot of appreciation for it, not least at galas and festivals like this one? What do I know? But I know in any case that it is not the job of politics. It is also not the job of politics to demand more and more tax money from citizens because they cannot stand up for their priorities…The job of politics , and my job as Minister of Culture , is to implement the policy that a majority of the Swedish people have voted for. In the field of film, this means, among other things, the following: To ensure that artistic freedom is protected,' she said, referring to a law that the Swedish government intends to introduce later this year to fight piracy and illegal downloading. Commented on the controversy, Mikael Fellenius, head of Scandinavia's largest regional film fund Film i Väst told Variety: 'Our Cultural Minister probably was clumsy in her opening speech. She wanted to underline that film is an industry, which needs to be supported, not only with public coin but also with a wider film policy and reflection. She does want to support film and for the film supply chain to play a bigger part in the financing structure of the sector. But addressing this complex topic at the opening of the Göteborg Film Festival was the wrong place to do this,' he said. The Swedish government is meant to publish late February a full research paper and a list of recommendations on how to make Swedish film more competitive. The recommendations will address the Swedish tax rebates introduced in 2023, which has been criticised in the industry for being underfunded (its annual budget is SEK 100 million ($9 million) whereas SEK SEK 300 million ($27 million) would be needed according to professionals) and using an inadequate first come first serve funding process. Best of Variety What's Coming to Netflix in February 2025 New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week What's Coming to Disney+ in February 2025
Yahoo
28-01-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Thomas Vinterberg, Goteborg's Artistic Director Pia Lundberg Address Controversial Remarks of Swedish Minister of Culture: ‘Fight Back'
Acclaimed director Thomas Vinterberg and Goteborg's artistic director Pia Lundberg addressed controversial remarks of Swedish Minister of Culture Parisa Liljestrand. Lundberg admitted she was 'surprised' by the Minister's statement during the opening ceremony Jan. 24, which made for a 'tumultuous' start of the event. More from Variety 'Black Crab' Writer Pelle Rådström Wins the Nordic Series Script Award for 'Pressure Point' Girl in Red to Make Feature Film Debut in Maipo's 'Low Expectations' (EXCLUSIVE) 'Royal Blood' Sucks Attention for Scandi Alliance Broadcasting Trio 'The Swedish film industry [which has around $50.5 million a year in state support] is comparing itself to Denmark and Norway a lot. Denmark has twice as much money for local filmmaking production than Sweden. Norway has even more. Sweden is really far behind. Do you think Denmark could adopt Sweden on the film side?,' Lundberg asked Vinterberg during a public discussion. 'It was horrible, I heard,' he said. Vinterberg came to Sweden to pick up the Nordic Dragon Award. 'Ministers of Cultural Affairs… You quickly get rid of them. It's a maximum of four years. She'll vanish soon.' According to Lundberg, Swedish industry is sometimes 'jealous' of Danish films. But Vinterberg added: 'I don't think you have anything to learn from us. I think you have a lot of strength here and if you don't, then you'll find it soon. These are currents, these are waves that come and go. 'I think Danish film suffers from the same problem as your film industry right now, which is that amazing movies are being made – by young talents – and nobody goes to see them,' he added. 'And that makes it easy for the Minister of Cultural Affairs to piss on them. But if these films weren't made, we wouldn't be winning Oscars,' he said, mentioning Oscar-nominated 'The Girl with the Needle,' made by Goteborg-born Magnus Von Horn. 'Show faith in it. Fight for it and give its space, and then it'll grow. What we have in common is state support and great film schools. This combination is incredibly powerful. The fact that this is an art support system, where you can allow yourself to make movies about these kinds of topics, makes our film tradition super strong. 'It's with four white, semi-fat, sweaty guys teaching their students to drink alcohol.' [Making it] without financial support from the state? Good luck,' he said, referencing his own Oscar-winning 'Another Round.' 'We are very lucky. My American colleagues keep telling me how lucky we are that we have this support system. If your support system is being strangled by ministers who don't know anything about art, then you'll have to fight back,' said Vinterberg. During her Göteborg festival opening speech, Liljestrand tried to remind the festival audience that film is not only art but also a business, a business which also needs monitoring. 'There's a red carpet, gala dresses and jokes about cultural budgets. And so you clearly distance yourself from commercial film. …but the film industry is actually commercial. Everyone knows that,' she said before adding in a defiant tone that upset the festival audience: …'Sometimes you can get the impression that all politics should do is count up funds, and otherwise not ask any questions. But that is really not the job of politics.' 'I know that many culture ministers before me have wanted to portray themselves as the best friends and foremost representatives of the various industries in the government.,' she went on. 'You might get a lot of appreciation for it, not least at galas and festivals like this one? What do I know? But I know in any case that it is not the job of politics. It is also not the job of politics to demand more and more tax money from citizens because they cannot stand up for their priorities…The job of politics , and my job as Minister of Culture , is to implement the policy that a majority of the Swedish people have voted for. In the field of film, this means, among other things, the following: To ensure that artistic freedom is protected,' she said, referring to a law that the Swedish government intends to introduce later this year to fight piracy and illegal downloading. Commented on the controversy, Mikael Fellenius, head of Scandinavia's largest regional film fund Film i Väst told Variety: 'Our Cultural Minister probably was clumsy in her opening speech. She wanted to underline that film is an industry, which needs to be supported, not only with public coin but also with a wider film policy and reflection. She does want to support film and for the film supply chain to play a bigger part in the financing structure of the sector. But addressing this complex topic at the opening of the Göteborg Film Festival was the wrong place to do this,' he said. The Swedish government is meant to publish late February a full research paper and a list of recommendations on how to make Swedish film more competitive. The recommendations will address the Swedish tax rebates introduced in 2023, which has been criticised in the industry for being underfunded (its annual budget is SEK 100 million ($9 million) whereas SEK SEK 300 million ($27 million) would be needed according to professionals) and using an inadequate first come first serve funding process. Best of Variety What's Coming to Netflix in February 2025 New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week What's Coming to Disney+ in February 2025
