SUBMARINO WINS 2010 NORDIC COUNCIL FILM PRIZE

Further information on the Nordic Council Film Prize and to view the recorded press conference click here.

The Adjudication Committee, which this year consists of Senior lecturer Anne Jerslev (DK), editor Johanne Grönqvist (FI), film critic Sif Gunnarsdottir (IS), film critic Le LD Nguyen (N) and film critic Eva af Geijerstam (S), explained their choice of this year's prize winner in the following statement:



"Submarino is a tough but also deeply moving story of two brothers who are entwined by a fateful childhood. The film is about brothers who are have adult responsibility imposed upon them - and a child who carries a social inheritance but also the hope of a better future. It deals with themes such as trauma, guilt and reconciliation. Submarino is a simple and yet complex work of art, with a strong manuscript and a stylish direction. An elegant, taut and effective dramaturgy, acting presence and an intelligent use of sound and light help to create this insightful picture of human life".

SUBMARINO had its premiere in Danish cinemas in March and was one of the year's most critically acclaimed films. The film screened in the main competition at this year's Berlin Festival and was shown at festivals in London, Sao Paolo and Los Angeles. It won the Critic's Prize 2010 at the Norwegian Film Festival in Haugesund and the main prize at Film by the Sea 2010 in the Netherlands. The film is competing in December to be nominated for the European EFA award and was one of three films nominated to become the Danish candidate in the race for an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film.

"I am very happy and proud to receive the Nordic Council Film Prize. The field of good films in Denmark and the other Nordic countries is extremely qualified and, in addition, I have great respect for the competent forces behind the appraisal. I am honoured. I perceive the prize to be not only an appreciation of those of us behind Submarino, but of Danish film altogether. A distinction which confirms the strength in, and necessity, of creating and supporting Danish film based on cultural criteria. An encouragement to Danish film to continue to reach out across the country's borders", says Thomas Vinterberg.  

About the three prize winners
DIRECTOR / SCRIPTWRITER - THOMAS VINTERBERG
Thomas Vinterberg was born in Copenhagen in 1969. A former graduate of the National Film School of Denmark, he had his international breakthrough in 1998 with The Celebration (Festen), winner of a Jury Prize in Cannes. The first Dogme film is today considered as a Scandinavian classic. 

Vinterberg then directed two English language films: It's All About Love (2003) starring Sean Penn, Claire Danes and Joaquin Phoenix, and Dear Wendy (2005) starring Bill Pullman, Chris Owen and Jamie Bell. Both films were presented at the Sundance Film Festival. The director returned to Danish-language filmmaking in 2007 with the comedy When a Man Comes Home (En mand kommer hjem). 

In addition to his feature films, Vinterberg has directed music videos for Metallica and Blur. He received an Achievement in World Cinema Award at the European Film Awards in 2008 for his role as a founding member of the 1995 Dogme movement.

In March 2010, Vinterberg directed his first theatre play, Das Begräbnis (The Funeral) at Vienna's Burg Theatre. He is currently working on a new feature film project co-written by Tobias Lindholm.

SCRIPTWRITER - TOBIAS LINDHOLM
Tobias Lindholm graduated from the National Film School of Denmark as a screenwriter in 2007. He wrote several episodes for DR TV drama series Sommer (The Summers) in 2007 and Borgen (The Government) 2009/2010.

Submarino was his first feature screenplay.  His own feature film debut as a filmmaker, the prison drama R, co-written and directed with Michael Noer, won the top award, Dragon Award, for Best Nordic Film and the FIPRESCI award at the 2010 Göteborg International Film Festival. Lindholm is currently developing a new script with Vinterberg and another feature project with Noer.

PRODUCER - MORTEN KAUFMANN
Morten Kaufmann graduated from the National Film School of Denmark in 1995 and soon after joined one of Denmark's most established production companies Nimbus Film where he produced numerous short and feature films such as Ole Christian Madsen's Kira's Reason, Angels in Fast Motion, Prague, Søren Kragh Jacobsen's Mifune, Natasha Arthy's Miracle, Dagur Kári's Dark Horse, Thomas Vinterberg's When a Man Comes Home.  He was line producer on several other feature films such as Thomas Vinterberg's The Celebration and It's All About Love. In 2009 he started his own company Cacao Film.

About the film
Submarino is the story of two brothers who share a childhood tragedy that neither of them can let go.  Nick (Jakob Cedergren) lives in a hostel in the northwest area of Copenhagen. He is angry, lifting weights and drinking strong beer. Not a man to cross. Nick's younger brother (Peter Plaugborg) is a single father trying to give his 6-year old son a good upbringing in the midst of his hunt for the next shot of heroin. One day Nick decides to look up his brother, driven by the hope of breaking the vicious circle that has marked their lives.  

About the prize
The Nordic Council Film Prize is awarded to a feature film of cultural value produced in the Nordic countries and is divided equally between the film's director, scriptwriter and producer, which underlines that film as an art form is the result of close co-operation between these three main functions. The prize, awarded for the first time in 2002 as part of the Nordic Council's 50th anniversary, is worth DKK 350,000, and will be presented to the three winners at the Nordic Council's autumn Session in Reykjavik on Wednesday 3 November.

The Nordic Council Film Prize is just one of several prizes awarded by the Nordic Council. It also gives out a literature prize, a music prize and a nature and environment prize every year. The objective of these prizes is to increase interest in literature, language, music and film between the Nordic countries.

The film prize has previously been awarded to Aki Kaurismäki for THE MAN WITHOUT A PAST (2002), Per Fly (2005) for MANSLAUGHTER, Josef Fares (2006) for ZOZO, Peter Schønau Fog (2007) for THE ART OF CRYING, Roy Andersson for YOU, THE LIVING (2008) and Lars von Trier for ANTICHRIST (2009).