enda

The Idiots

Lars von Trier, Denmark, 1998

117 min.DK/Feature

The modern welfare state is so rationally well-organised that special effort is required if you want to throw off the traces and let your instincts run riot. In Lars von Trier's tragi-comedy a group of young men and women turn their backs on established society and form a commune in order to cultivate their "inner idiots". They provoke the people around them and themselves by pretending to be retarded. But is there more to their antics than casual role-playing? Where does pretence cease and reality begin? Only one member of the group, naïve, emotionally unsullied Karen, manages with bravery and single-mindedness to turn the game into deadly earnest.
Basic information Credits Festivals & awards Materials
Original title Idioterne
Danish title Idioterne
Other titles Dogme #2
Director Lars von Trier
Screenplay Lars von Trier
Producer Vibeke Windeløv
Director of Photography Lars von Trier
Editor Molly Malene Stensgaard
Sound Per Streit
Casting Rie Hedegaard
Appearance Bodil Jørgensen, Jens Albinus, Anne Louise Hassing, Troels Lyby
Production country Denmark, Sweden, Germany, France, Netherlands, Italy
Production company Zentropa Entertainments2, DR TV
Domestic distribution Scanbox
International sales Zentropa Entertainments ApS
Technical info 3201 meter, 35 mm, 1,37:1 Academy, color, Dolby
Danish theatrical release 17.07.1998
Cinemas Dagmar, Palads, Grand, Gladsaxe Bio, BioCity (Tåstrup) samt 10 biografer i provinsen
Danish rating Allowed for children over the age of 15
Download PDF

Companies

Production company Zentropa Entertainments2, DR TV
Domestic distribution Scanbox

Instruktion

Direction Lars von Trier
Casting Rie Hedegaard

Manus

Script Lars von Trier
Script consultant Mogens Rukov

Produktion

Executive producer Peter Aalbæk Jensen
Unit manager Lene Nielsen
Co-producer Peter van Vogelpoel
Co-producer Eric Schut
Production assistant: Paris Nynne Bonnén Oldenburg
Production assistant Mette Nelund
Production assistant Tine Grew Pfeiffer
Co-producer Marianne Slot
Post-production assistant Anne Katrine Andersen
Producer Vibeke Windeløv
Post-producton coordinator Lene Irgens

Foto

Cinematography Lars von Trier
Camera assistant Kristoffer Nyholm
Camera assistant Jesper Jargil
Camera assistant Casper Holm
First assistant camera Edvard Friis-Møller
Camera assistant Ian Hansen
Clapper Caroline Sascha Cogez

Stills

Stills Jan Schut

Klip

Editing Molly Malene Stensgaard
Assistant editor Anne Hovad Fischer
Assistant editor Carsten Søsted
Avid supervisor Pelle Folmer
Online editor Peter Kornbek
Editing supervisor Mogens Rukov

Musik

Melodica Kim Kristensen

Lyd

Sound Per Streit
Sound technician: 2. unit Kristian Selin Eidnes Andersen
Sound technician: 2. unit Johan Winbladh
Boom operator John Nielsen
Boom operator Rene Schrøder

Stemme

Interviewer Lars von Trier

Medvirkende

Karen Bodil Jørgensen
Stoffer Jens Albinus
Susanne Anne Louise Hassing
Henrik Troels Lyby
Jeppe Nikolaj Lie Kaas
Ped Henrik Prip
Miguel Luis Mesonero
Josephine Louise Mieritz
Axel Knud Romer Jørgensen
Nana Trine Michelsen
Katrine Anne-Grethe Bjarup Riis
Tjener Jan Elle
Rundviser på fabrik Claus Strandberg
Onkel Erik Wedersøe
Rocker 1 Lars Bjarne
Rocker 2 Ewald Larsen
Rocker 3 Chris
Rocker pige Louise Boye Clausen
Chef Jens Jørn Spottag
Dame 1 Kirsten Vaupel
Dame 2 Lillian Tillegreen
Dame 3 Birgit Conradi
Dame med to børn Julie Wieth
Josephines far Anders Hove
Fin dame Paprika Steen
Fin mand Albert Wickmann
Mand fra kommunen Michael Moritzen
Mand i hjemmejakke John Martinus
Severin Ditlev Weddelsborg
Svendsen Jesper Sønderaas
Karens mor Lone Lindorff
Karens morfar Erno Müller
Louise, Karens søster Regitze Estrup
Britta, Karens søster Lotte Munk
Anders, Karens mand Hans Henrik Clemensen
Axels kone Marina Bouras
Mand i swimmingpool Peter Frøge
Taxichauffør Bent Sørensen

Download PDF

Awards and nominations

Download PDF
Award Year Festival
FIPRESCI Award 1998 London Film Festival 1998

Festival screenings

Festival Festival date
Zagreb Motovun Film Festival 2015-07-25
Zlin Int. Film Festival for Children & Youth 2013-05-27
Guadalajara Film Festival 2013-03-01
Sevilla Festival de Cine 2008-11-07
San Sebastian International Film Festival 2007-09-20
Taipei Film Festival 2007-06-22
San Sebastian International Film Festival 2004-09-16
Goa - Int. Film Festival of India 2003-10-09
Zagreb Motovun Film Festival 2001-07-31
Cairo International Film Festival 2000-11-07
Istanbul Int. Film Festival 1999-04-17
Hong Kong International Film Festival 1999-03-31
Reykjavik Film Festival 1999-01-15
Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival 1998-12-02
Torun, Camerimage 1998-11-28
Buenos Aires, Mar Del Plata Int. FF 1998-11-12
Lübeck, Nordische Filmtage 1998-11-05
London Film Festival 1998-11-05
Vienna Film Festival, Viennale 1998-10-17
Sao Paulo Int. Film Festival 1998-10-16
New York Film Festival 1998-09-25
Hamburg FilmFest GmbH 1998-09-23
Sarajevo Film Festival 1998-08-21
Rio de Janeiro Film Festival 1998-07-23
Karlovy Vary International Film Festival 1998-07-03
Cannes, Festival de 1998-05-13
Det Danske Filminstitut registrerer international festivaldeltagelse og priser til danske film, dog primært de titler, som Filminstituttet varetager i sin festivaldistribution, og primært i forbindelse med de festivaler, som Filminstituttet har prioriteret at samarbejde med. Registreringen af festivaldeltagelse og priser til danske film, der ikke er i festivaldistribution, foretages kun for "launch"-festivaler ifølge Filminstituttets prioriterede festivalliste. Se listen over prioriterede festivaler.
Download PDF

Reviews and articles

On the library you can find these articles and revies and other material about the film.
Type Source Author Date
Anmeldelse
Varia
Program - stumfilm & mikro
Artikel
Interview
Senere indgået materiale
Anmeldelse
Varia
Program - stumfilm & mikro

ARTICLES AND NEWS