Discover
Reportedly the third in acclaimed director Lars von Trier's "Golden Hearts" trilogy (preceded by Breaking the Waves and The Idiots), this film is a hip reworking of the classic Hollywood Musical, starring international pop diva Bjork. Set somewhere in rural Washington state, Czech immigrant Selma (Bjork) works in a pressing plant, struggling to make ends meet for herself and her 10-year-old son, Gene (Vladica Kostic). Her best friend is coworker and fellow European Kathy (Catherine Deneuve). While outside work, she is maintaining a cautious friendship with local yokel Jeff (Peter Stormare). She also landed a starring role as Maria in an amateur production of The Sound of Music. Selma's life would be one of relative contentment if it were not for the ugly secret she harbors -- she is on the verge of blindness due to a genetic disorder, and her young son will suffer the same fate without an operation. Selma has quietly been stashing away money for the surgery and has already amassed $2,000. When her savings, squirreled away in a can in the kitchen, suddenly disappear, she confronts her cash-strapped landlord Bill (David Morse). Of course, like all musicals, the plot periodically takes a backseat to the seven production numbers, including a show-stopping sequence in Selma's factory. Shot entirely on digital video, the film reportedly used up to 100 cameras for each musical number. Dancer in the Dark received top prizes at the 2000 Cannes Film Festival including Best Actress for Bjork and the coveted Palme d'Or for Best Picture.
Original Release
09/01/2000
US Release
10/06/2000
Links
Cast
Name | Character |
---|
Bjork | Selma Jezkova |
Catherine Deneuve | Kathy |
David Morse | Bill Houston |
Peter Stormare | Jeff |
Joel Grey | Oldrich Novy |
Cara Seymour | Linda Houston |
Vladica Kostic | Gene Jezkova / Gene Jezek |
Jean-Marc Barr | Norman |
Vincent Paterson | Samuel |
Siobhan Fallon Hogan | Brenda |
Directors
Writers
Cast
Name | Character |
---|
Bjork | Selma Jezkova |
Catherine Deneuve | Kathy |
David Morse | Bill Houston |
Peter Stormare | Jeff |
Joel Grey | Oldrich Novy |
Cara Seymour | Linda Houston |
Vladica Kostic | Gene Jezkova / Gene Jezek |
Jean-Marc Barr | Norman |
Vincent Paterson | Samuel |
Siobhan Fallon Hogan | Brenda |
Zeljko Ivanek | District Attorney |
Udo Kier | Dr. Porkorny |
Jens Albinus | Morty |
Reathel Bean | Judge |
Mette Berggreen | Receptionist |
Lars Michael Dinesen | Dancer / Defense Attorney |
Katrine Falkenberg | Dancer / Suzan |
Michael Flessas | Angry Man |
John Randolph Jones | Detective |
Noah Lazarus | Dancer / Officer of the Court |
Producers
Name | Role |
---|
Peter Aalbæk Jensen | Executive Producer |
Lars Jönsson | Executive Producer |
Marianne Slot | Executive Producer |
Malte Forssell | Producer |
Friðrik Þór Friðriksson | Producer |
Finn Gjerdrum | Producer |
Mogens Glad | Producer |
Anja Grafers | Producer |
Tony Grob | Producer |
Torleif Hauge | Producer |
Tero Kaukomaa | Producer |
Poul Erik Lindeborg | Producer |
Leo Pescarolo | Producer |
Vibeke Windeløv | Producer |
Charlotte Pedersen | Producer |
Els Vandevorst | Producer |
Editors
Year | Type | Category | Won |
---|
2001 | Oscar | Best Music, Original Song | Nominated |
2001 | Golden Globe | Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama | Nominated |
2001 | Golden Globe | Best Original Song - Motion Picture | Nominated |