Latest news with #Dogma25
Euronews
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Euronews
What is Dogma 25 - the new cinematic movement unveiled in Cannes?
30 years after the original cinematic movement, a group of Danish and Swedish filmmakers have relaunched the avant garde Dogma 95, with a new manifesto that has been updated for the internet age. 'In a world where film is based on algorithms and artificial visual expressions are gaining traction, it's our mission to stand up for the flawed, distinct and human imprint,' said May el-Toukhy, Milad Alami, Annika Berg and Isabella Eklöf and Jesper Just in a statement read at the Cannes Film Festival. 'We champion the uncompromising and unpredictable, and we fight against the forces working to reduce cinematic art to an ultra-processed consumer product.' Described in its manifesto as 'a rescue mission and a cultural uprising', Dogma 25 has been endorsed by the two best-known directors to emerge from the original Dogma movement: Thomas Vinterberg and Lars von Trier – as well as von Trier's production company Zentropa. Both filmmakers said in a statement: 'In '95, we made films in the certainty of peace. And created a revolt against conformity. In '25, new dogmas are created, now in a world of war and uncertainty. We wish you the best of luck on your march toward reconquering Danish film.' For those who need a refresher, Dogma 95 was a manifesto unveiled by von Trier and Vinterberg, which highlighted a set of rules aimed at creating films based on the traditional values of story, acting and theme, while excluding the use of special effects. Both filmmakers wanted to establish a new extreme, saying: 'In a business of extremely high budgets, we figured we should balance the dynamic as much as possible." The manifesto, which mimicked Truffaut's "Une certaine tendance du cinema" – the Cahiers du Cinéma article which kickstarted the French New Wave in 1954 - compiled a 'Vow of Chastity'. These were the terms that would determine whether or not a film could be considered part of the Dogma 95 movement. The 10 rules were: Dogma 95 would develop into a collection of 35 films, but the best known are 1998's Festen and The Idiots – two hugely influential films for contemporary European cinema. In 2002, it was generally accepted that Dogma 95 had ended, especially following the statement made by Vinterberg: 'It was always meant to be a wave, and they don't go on forever." The Dogma 25 manifesto contains 10 new dogmas. The filmmakers said they have taken a 'new vow of chastity' to uphold the rules, which they explained are influenced by three central themes: a return to the physical reality, aesthetic restrain, and economic and geographic accountability. The new manifesto only retains one of the original's self-imposed rules (read on to see which one) and most challenging of the new rules is that Dogma 25 films must be made 'in no more than a year', and the use of the internet 'is off limits in all creative processes'. Here is the full new manifesto: DOGMA 25 is a collective of filmmakers founded in Copenhagen in the spring of 2025. Our stated purpose is to preserve the originality of cinema and the opportunity to create film on its own terms. The role of the director has increasingly been reduced to that of project manager, the film to a commodity, and the audience to consumers. Experimental practice is stifled by fear of risk-taking, which suffocates artistic exploration and silences unique voices. When films are merely executed and not allowed to evolve organically, it puts the art form in danger of becoming functional, obedient and thereby irrelevant. In a world where formulaic films based on algorithms and artificial visual expression are gaining traction, it's our mission to stand up for the flawed, distinct, and human imprint. We champion the uncompromising and unpredictable and we fight the forces working to reduce cinematic art to an ultra-processed consumer good. By scaling down production, we ensure that everyone on the team has an intimate relationship with the film and its message. This will enhance mutual trust and a sense of collective responsibility for the film and for each other. It also allows us to safeguard the flexibility that is vital in making a creative process dynamic and intuitive, rather than purely executive. We celebrate DOGMA 95, all the filmmakers who came before us, and those who will come after. We stand together to defend artistic freedom as a shield against pointlessness and powerlessness. DOGMA 25 is a rescue mission and a cultural uprising. To protect and preserve what we hold dear, we hereby submit to the unflinching and unbreakable set of rules called: THE VOW OF CHASTITY. THE VOW OF CHASTITY: I vow to submit to the following set of rules drawn up and confirmed by DOGMA 25: 1. The script must be original and handwritten by the director. We compel ourselves to write the script by hand in order to nurture the kind of intuition that flows most freely from the dream, channelled through the hand onto the paper. 2. At least half the film must be without dialogue. We insist on a cinematic approach to filmmaking, because we believe in visual storytelling and have faith in the audience. 3. The internet is off limits in all creative processes. We commit to produce the films relying on real people within our physical reality – rather than in a digital one infused with algorithms. 4. We'll only accept funding with no content altering conditions attached. We assume responsibility for keeping budgets down so the team retains final say in all artistic decisions. 5. No more than 10 people behind the camera. We commit to working in close collaborations to build trust and strengthen our shared vision. 6. The film must be shot where the narrative takes place. Film as an art form becomes artificial and generic when we portray a location in a false light. 7. We're not allowed to use make-up or manipulate faces and bodies unless it's part of the narrative. Just as we strive to maintain the authenticity of the location, we also want to portray the human body without a filter. We celebrate it – warts and all. 8. Everything relating to the film's production must be rented, borrowed, found, or used. We commit to making films using objects that already exist and renounce the ahistorical and self-destructive culture of consumerism. 9. The film must be made in no more than one year. We abstain from any lengthy processes that stand in the way of creative flow. 10. Create the film as if it were your last. The new initiative has been met with excitement, with Tine Fischer, the Director of The Danish Film Institute, saying: 'Any system, even one that runs impeccably, needs examining. Needs challenging. Needs to cast a courageous look on itself. Throughout the last decades, Danish film has distinguished itself internationally with myriads of Academy and Cannes nominations and a unique position in our own market. We are known globally as a strong nation for film, and Danes here at home love Danish film. But no success has a lifetime guarantee.' She continued: '30 years ago, DOGMA 95 turned the eyes of the world toward Denmark and left a radical imprint on our national self image as a filmmaking nation. The people were few, the number of films limited, but the impact was huge. We need these brave artistic visions now more than ever. Visions befitting a new time – which is exactly what the new DOGMA 25 represents: A strong group of noticeably different filmmakers, who have collectively committed to artistic radicalism. How do we make films, how do we ensure our freedom of expression in a distinctly challenged geopolitical world, and how do we safeguard the singularity of art.' She added: 'As a film institute, we are facing a time where our cultural contributions are tasked with ensuring state of the art Danish films – now and in the future. It's not a simple task, but deep inside the task lies the ability, as a system, to make space for film as a free art form, for innovation and perspectives. This is why we are especially happy and proud to support DOGMA 25 in their early stage, both with concept development and the international launch in Cannes.'
The Hindu
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Cannes 2025: Filmmakers launch Dogma 25 to rewrite rules of filmmaking in the internet age
Thirty years after Lars von Trier and Thomas Vinterberg launched the Danish avant-garde filmmaking movement Dogme 95, a group of filmmakers from Sweden and Denmark have vowed to revive the movement at this year's Cannes Film Festival under the name Dogma 25. The participants in the latest iteration of the movement promise five films among themselves each year, and they intend to make these without using the internet in the creative process. 'In a world where film is based on algorithms and artificial visual expressions are gaining traction, it's our mission to stand up for the flawed, distinct and human imprint,' said the five filmmakers in a statement. Founded by Danish-Egyptian director May el-Toukhy, the participants — Milad Alami, Annika Berg, Isabella Eklof, and Jesper Just — are calling the movement 'a rescue mission and a cultural uprising.' They have given themselves one year to create a movie. 'After Covid, all prices have gone up and we get less film for the same amount of money. That's a huge problem for the arthouse film, because the risk-taking is gone. All mainstream stands on the shoulders of arthouse, and if the arthouse dies completely, there will be no originality left in the mainstream,' said director Toukhy. Though the movement has taken inspiration from the 1995 manifesto of Dogma 95, it has only retained one rule from the original, which is that any film that is a part of the movement must be shot where the narrative takes place. Other rules that are binding on the participants include accepting funding only if no content-altering conditions are attached to it and not having more than 10 people behind the camera. It is also essential for a Dogma 25 film to be without dialogue for half of its runtime, as the participants claim that they believe in visual storytelling and that they have faith in the audience. They are also steering away from using make-up or attempts to manipulate faces and bodies of actors cast in the film. The movement is open to accepting more members and it also already received endorsement from Von Trier and Vinterberg.
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Dogma 25 Explodes at Cannes, Spearheaded by New Quintet Led by May el-Toukhy: ‘A Rescue Mission and a Cultural Uprising'
Five Danish filmmakers are picking up the baton from the founders of Dogma 95 and launching Dogma 25 along with a new manifesto and ten 'vows of chastity' to 'protect the artistic integrity of feature film and create space for uncompromising cinematic storytelling.' May el-Thouky ('Queen of Hearts,' 'The Crown'), Milad Alami ('The Charmer,' 'When the Dust Settles'), Isabella Eklöf ('Holiday,' 'Kalak'), Annika Berg ('Hurricane') and rising talent Jesper Just will lead the new revolution. More from Variety Soundstage Expansion Adds to New Jersey's Strong Incentives to Juice Film and TV Production: 'People Are Taking Notice of Us' Jai Courtney on Making an Acting Comeback in Cannes Serial Killer-Shark Thriller and if He Would Return to DC Universe: 'I Have Hope' 'The Chronology of Water': Will Kristen Stewart's Directorial Debut and Jim Belushi and Thora Birch's Supporting Performances Generate Awards Heat? Previously, Lars von Trier, Thomas Vinterberg, Søren Kragh-Jacobsen and Kristian Levring kicked off the movement that resulted in 212 Danish and international feature films, including 'The Celebration,' 'The Idiots,' 'Italian for Beginners' and more. 'We celebrate Dogma 95, the filmmakers who came before us, and those who will come after. We stand together to defend artistic freedom as a shield against pointlessness and powerlessness. Dogma 25 is a rescue mission and a cultural uprising,' stated new leaders. 'In a world where formulaic films based on algorithms and artificial visual expression are gaining traction, it is our mission to stand up for the flawed, distinct, and human imprint. We champion the uncompromising and unpredictable, and we fight against the forces working to reduce cinematic art to an ultra-processed consumer product.' With the manifesto and the vow of chastity, the five directors commit to working within a structure that requires 'immersion, restraint and artistic necessity.' Three core themes are 'Back to the physical reality,' 'Aesthetic restraint,' as at least half of the film must be without dialogue, and 'economic and geographic accountability,' meaning the film must be shot where the narrative takes place. Funding may only be accepted if it doesn't impact the content. The groundbreaking announcement was made today at Zentropa's villa, attended by the collective and Dogma 25's key partners: Nordisk Film, DR and Nordisk Film Distribution. In a statement, von Trier and Thomas Vinterberg said: 'In '95, we made films in the certainty of peace and created a revolt against conformity. In '25, new dogmas were created, now in a world of war and uncertainty. We wish you the best of luck on your march toward reconquering Danish film.' Dogma 25 is an initiative of May el-Toukhy, who brought together the five directors. In late 2024, she reached out to Zentropa to establish the initiative as 'a space for development, reflection and innovation.' Louise Vesth and Sisse Graum Jørgensen, two of Zentropa's managing directors, are in charge of the financing and launch of Dogma 25. The Danish Film Institute is providing support for the development of the concept and manifesto as well as production, while TrustNordisk will oversee international sales and ensure a wide global distribution for the films. Here's the manifesto in its entirety:Dogma 25 is a collective of filmmakers founded in Copenhagen in the spring of 2025. Our stated purpose is to preserve the originality of cinema and the opportunity to create film on its own terms. The role of the director has increasingly been reduced to that of project manager, the film to a commodity, and the audience to consumers. Experimental practice is stifled by fear of risk-taking, which suffocates artistic exploration and silences unique voices. When films are merely executed and not allowed to evolve organically, it puts the art form in danger of becoming functional, obedient and thereby irrelevant. In a world where formulaic films based on algorithms and artificial visual expression are gaining traction, it's our mission to stand up for the flawed, distinct, and human imprint. We champion the uncompromising and unpredictable and we fight the forces working to reduce cinematic art to an ultra-processed consumer good. By scaling down production, we ensure that everyone on the team has an intimate relationship with the film and its message. This will enhance mutual trust and a sense of collective responsibility for the film and for each other. It also allows us to safeguard the flexibility that is vital in making a creative process dynamic and intuitive, rather than purely executive. We celebrate Dogma 95, all the filmmakers who came before us, and those who will come after. We stand together to defend artistic freedom as a shield against pointlessness and powerlessness. DOGMA 25 is a rescue mission and a cultural uprising. To protect and preserve what we hold dear, we hereby submit to the unflinching and unbreakable set of rules called: THE VOW OF CHASTITY.I vow to submit to the following set of rules drawn up and confirmed by Dogma 25:We compel ourselves to write the script by hand in order to nurture the kind of intuition that flows most freely from the dream, channeled through the hand onto the insist on a cinematic approach to filmmaking because we believe in visual storytelling and have faith in the commit to produce the films relying on real people within our physical reality – rather than in a digital one infused with assume responsibility for keeping budgets down so the team retains final say in all artistic commit to working in close collaboration to build trust and strengthen our shared as an art form becomes artificial and generic when we portray a location in a false as we strive to maintain the authenticity of the location, we also want to portray the human body without a filter. We celebrate it – warts and commit to making films using objects that already exist and renounce the ahistorical and self-destructive culture of abstain from any lengthy processes that stand in the way of creative flow. Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week Emmy Predictions: Talk/Scripted Variety Series - The Variety Categories Are Still a Mess; Netflix, Dropout, and 'Hot Ones' Stir Up Buzz Oscars Predictions 2026: 'Sinners' Becomes Early Contender Ahead of Cannes Film Festival
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Cannes: Young Danish Collective Reboots Dogma for New Generation
Thirty years after Lars von Trier and Thomas Vinterberg gave the arthouse movie world a much-needed kick in the pants with the Dogma 95, also known as Dogme 95, movement, a new generation of Nordic filmmakers is picking up the torch. A collection of four up-and-coming Danish directors, May el-Toukhy (Queen of Hearts), Milad Alami (Opponent), Annika Berg (Team Hurricane), Isabella Eklöf (Kalak), and Jesper Just (Vanishing Woman) are launching Dogma 25, a manifesto-driven initiative designed to rescue artistic integrity from the pressures of the modern film industry. More from The Hollywood Reporter Diane Kruger Goes Home to Reteam With Fatih Akin for 'Amrum': "We Bring Out the Best in Each Other" Angelina Jolie Delivers Humanitarian Message at Chopard Dinner in Front of Quentin Tarantino, Cannes Jury: "None of Us Are Naive" Lynne Ramsay, Jennifer Lawrence and Robert Pattinson Toast 'Die, My Love' at Cannes Dinner Hosted by The Hollywood Reporter and Longines 'Dogma 25 is a rescue mission and a cultural uprising,' the collective declared in a statement released in Cannes on Saturday. 'We stand together to defend artistic freedom as a shield against pointlessness and powerlessness.' The five filmmakers are backed by some of Denmark's most established production entities. The project was spearheaded by el-Toukhy, who approached Zentropa last year. Zentropa producers Louise Vesth (Melancholia, Nymphomaniac) and Sisse Graum Jørgensen (The Hunt, Another Round) will oversee the rollout, with support from the Danish Film Institute, DR (Danish Broadcasting Corporation), Nordisk Film Distribution, and international sales agent TrustNordisk. The directors will have their first films fully financed (to a budget of 10 million Danish Krone, or $1.45 million), with a theatrical release guaranteed for Denmark. TrustNordisk will handle world sales for all the Dogma 25 projects. 'In '95, we made films in the certainty of peace and created a revolt against conformity,' von Trier and Vinterberg said in a joint statement. 'In '25, new dogmas are created, now in a world of war and uncertainty. We wish you the best of luck on your march toward reconquering Danish film.' Von Trier and Vinterberg, together with directors Kristian Levring and Søren Kragh-Jacobsen, formed the Dogme 95 Collective, with strict 'vows of chastity' requiring directors to use handheld cameras and natural light, and banning the use of diegetic music or genre conventions. Films made under the Dogme label included Vinterberg's Cannes Jury winner The Celebration (1998), Von Trier's The Idiots (1999), Kragh-Jacobsen's Mifune (1999), and Levring's The King is Alive (2000). The movement went international with Lovers (1999) from French director Jean-Marc Barr and Julien Donkey-Boy (1999) from American bad boy Harmony Korine. The movement is credited with revitalizing indie cinema in the late '90s. Like its 1995 predecessor, Dogma 25 is underpinned by a stringent vow of chastity and ten dogmas that set strict creative and production rules. But while Dogma 95 was primarily about aesthetics, conceived as an attack on the vanity of the director class and on overly-produced, superficial art house films (primarily from France), Dogma 25's prime target is the means of production, with a focus on how films are made, not what they look like. The 10 dogmas of Dogma 25 are: 'Scripts must be original and handwritten to preserve creative intuition; at least half of each film must be free of dialogue to emphasize visual storytelling; the internet is banned from the creative process to ensure connection to the physical world. Funding can only be accepted if it comes without editorial influence, and no more than ten crew members are allowed behind the camera. Films must be shot in their real-world locations, with no cosmetic alterations to faces or bodies unless required by the story. All materials — sets, props, costumes — must be reused or found, rejecting consumerism. Productions must be completed within a year to preserve urgency and creative flow. Above all, each film must be made 'as if it were the filmmaker's last.' 'In a world where formulaic films based on algorithms and artificial visual expression are gaining traction, it is our mission to stand up for the flawed, distinct, and human imprint,' reads the group's manifesto. 'We fight against the forces working to reduce cinematic art to an ultra-processed consumer product.' DR's head of drama Henriette Marienlund added, 'We agree with the necessity of finding new directions in order to build talent and bring new voices into Danish film. We were there for Dogma 95, so of course we are also along for the journey in 2025.' Nordisk Film Distribution's SVP Kenneth Wiberg pointed to the relevance of the moment: 'Dogma has always centred around relevant stories, and the market today needs a good story more than ever.' TrustNordisk's managing director Susan Wendt called the launch 'the perfect way to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Dogma 95,' saying she looked forward to bringing the new slate of films to global audiences. The first Dogma 25 films are expected to enter production later this year. A global launch and festival premieres are anticipated for 2026. You can read the full Dogma 25 manifesto and the 10 vows of chastity below. Manifesto:DOGMA 25 is a collective of filmmakers founded in Copenhagen in the spring of 2025. Our stated purpose is to preserve the originality of cinema and the opportunity to create film on its own terms. The role of the director has increasingly been reduced to that of project manager, the film to a commodity, and the audience to consumers. Experimental practice is stifled by fear of risk-taking, which suffocates artistic exploration and silences unique voices. When films are merely executed and not allowed to evolve organically, it puts the art form in danger of becoming functional, obedient and thereby irrelevant. In a world where formulaic films based on algorithms and artificial visual expression are gaining traction, it's our mission to stand up for the flawed, distinct, and human imprint. We champion the uncompromising and unpredictable and we fight the forces working to reduce cinematic art to an ultra-processed consumer good. By scaling down production, we ensure that everyone on the team has an intimate relationship with the film and its message. This will enhance mutual trust and a sense of collective responsibility for the film and for each other. It also allows us to safeguard the flexibility that is vital in making a creative process dynamic and intuitive, rather than purely executive. We celebrate DOGMA 95, all the filmmakers who came before us, and those who will come after. We stand together to defend artistic freedom as a shield against pointlessness and powerlessness. DOGMA 25 is a rescue mission and a cultural uprising. To protect and preserve what we hold dear, we hereby submit to the unflinching and unbreakable set of rules called: THE VOW OF CHASTITY. THE VOW OF CHASTITY:I vow to submit to the following set of rules drawn up and confirmed by DOGMA 25: 1. The script must be original and handwritten by the compel ourselves to write the script by hand in order to nurture the kind of intuition that flows most freely from the dream, channelled through the hand onto the paper. 2. At least half the film must be without insist on a cinematic approach to filmmaking, because we believe in visual storytelling and have faith in the audience. 3. The internet is off limits in all creative commit to produce the films relying on real people within our physical reality – rather than in a digital one infused with algorithms. 4. We'll only accept funding with no content altering conditions assume responsibility for keeping budgets down so the team retains final say in all artistic decisions. 5. No more than 10 people behind the commit to working in close collaborations to build trust and strengthen our shared vision. 6. The film must be shot where the narrative takes as an art form becomes artificial and generic when we portray a location in a false light. 7. We're not allowed to use make-up or manipulate faces and bodies unless it's part of the as we strive to maintain the authenticity of the location, we also want to portray the human body without a filter. We celebrate it – warts and all. 8. Everything relating to the film's production must be rented, borrowed, found, or commit to making films using objects that already exist and renounce the ahistorical and self-destructive culture of consumerism. 9. The film must be made in no more than one abstain from any lengthy processes that stand in the way of creative flow. 10. Create the film as if it were your last. Best of The Hollywood Reporter 'The Goonies' Cast, Then and Now "A Nutless Monkey Could Do Your Job": From Abusive to Angst-Ridden, 16 Memorable Studio Exec Portrayals in Film and TV The 10 Best Baseball Movies of All Time, Ranked
