The Cannes Film Festival 2023 is in full swing, and Denmark is strongly represented with two films, both competing for the prestigious Palme d’Or. The festival, running from May 14 to May 25 in the French port city of Cannes, has a particularly strong program this year, placing high demands on the participating films. The two Danish entries in the main competition are “The Girl with the Needle,” directed by Swedish filmmaker Magnus von Horn starring Trine Dyrholm, and “The Apprentice,” an international co-production directed by Danish-Iranian Ali Abbasi. “The Girl with the Needle” is a dramatic tale based on the gruesome acts of child murderer Dagmar Overbye, while “The Apprentice” portrays Donald Trump’s early years as a businessman in New York, with Sebastian Stan in the lead role as Trump.
Despite tough competition from films by renowned directors such as Francis Ford Coppola and Paolo Sorrentino, there is a great sense of optimism among the Danish participants. Film critic Ann Lind Andersen, who is present at the festival, emphasizes that it is a sign of the strength of Danish cinema that the country is so well represented. “It is an exceptionally strong year in Cannes, and it is fantastic to see that Danish films can stand up to the best,” says Ann Lind Andersen. She adds that even though the competition is intense, there is always room for surprises, where an outsider can take the win.
The Danish film industry has faced some challenging years, with a low number of Danish feature films being produced. Therefore, it is especially positive that Denmark is so prominently represented in the main competition at Cannes. The last time a Danish film won the Palme d’Or was in 2000 when Lars von Trier triumphed with “Dancer in the Dark.” Both filmmakers and audiences are eagerly anticipating how the Danish entries will fare in the fierce competition at this year’s festival.