The Danish Oscar Committee announced yesterday its shortlist of possible candidates for the 2022 International Feature Film Category, with the final entry to be unveiled October 25.

Claus Ladegaard, Chairman of the committee, and CEO at the Danish Film Institute, said:

"Our task in the committee is to point out the three films that we believe have the greatest potential in the Oscar race. The field ranges from a gripping current documentary about a refugee's fate to two strong dramas about key periods in Danish history. Three bids with significant narratives and cinematic quality, each of which has the chance to make an impression at the Academy Awards.”

Ole Bornedal’s The Shadow in My Eye produced by Miso Film made it in the shortlist although it is yet to be released by SF Studios October 28 in Danish cinemas. The film is made in association with Netflix, which will launch it globally four months after its Danish theatrical release.

Based on Bornedal’s own original script, The Shadow in My Eye centres on the bombing of the Gestapo headquarters in Copenhagen in 1945, one of the most tragic events in Denmark during WW2, when the Royal Air Force mistakenly bombed the French School in Copenhagen, killing several children and nuns.

“It’s the story of innocence versus machines, of the child who falls victim to the horrors of coincidence,” said Bornedal behind the acclaimed I Am Dina, Just Another Love Story, Deliver Us from Evil and major historical drama series 1864.

Included in the starring roles are Alex Høgh Andersen, Fanny Leander Bornedal and Danica Curcic.

The film was produced by Peter Bose and Jonas Allen, co-founders of Miso Film, part of Fremantle.

Margrete-Queen of the North which opened Thursday September 16, backed by rave reviews in the Danish press, is another large-scale epic period movie. US distributor Samuel Goldwyn Films has acquired rights from sales agent REinvent.

Trine Dyrholm top-lines the cast as Margrete I who was considered the most powerful regent in Scandinavian history, as she gathered Denmark, Sweden and Norway into a peaceful union. In the film set in 1402, the union is beset by enemies, however, and a conspiracy is under way.

Based on a script by Jesper Fink, Maya Ilsøe and Charlotte Sieling, the film was produced by Birgitte Skov and Lars Bredo Rahbek for SF Studios.

Meanwhile the animated documentary film Flee has already had a massively successful festival run with numerous awards along the way, such as the International Grand Jury Prize at Sundance, Dragon Award-Best Nordic Documentary at Göteborg, Best Feature ay the Annecy Animated Film Festival and Audience Award at Nyon-Visions du Réel. The film is also nominated for the 2021 Nordic Council Film Prize.

The gripping refugee story was produced by Monica Hellström, Signe Byrge Sørensen and Charlotte de la Gournerie. The film opened in Denmark on June 17. Neon will handle the US release together with Participant. Cinephil handles global sales.

Both Flee and Margrete-Queen of the North were supported by Nordisk Film & TV Fond.