Program Launch

Copenhagen International Film Festival’s complete program was announced on Sunday, 3 September, and the ticket sales were kick-started with the screenings of four films in four cinemas: Pure Hearts (Dagmar Teatret), La Moustache (Grand Teatret), Stay (Palads) and Paris je t’aime (Empire Bio). The attending spectators were the first to be given a program newspaper in one hand and a sneak pre-sip of the year’s festival drink in the other.

French Day in Grand Teatret

Saturday, 23 September, was the day for 7 French films in Grand Teatret. The program consisted of films like Paris je t’aime, in which directors like the Coen brothers and Tom Tykwer pay tribute to the French capital, and a preview screening of Michel Gondry’s latest film, The Science of Sleep, with Gael García Bernal in the lead role. The evening was concluded with a reception in the foyer of Grand Teatret, which was organised in cooperation with, amongst other, the French Embassy.

German Day in Dagmar Teatret

Swedish Day in Dagmar Teatret

Turkish Evening

On Thursday, 28 September, a Turkish evening was held in Park Bio in cooperation with HABER. Here, the audience could see two very different Turkish films, Kutlug Ataman’s 2 Girls and Ezel Akay’s Killing the Shadows. After the screenings, drinks and refreshing Turkish beer were offered, which could be enjoyed in the company of interesting Turkish guests. It was thus a great pleasure for us to be able to welcome the director Ezel Akay and the producer Gülen Güler, who were the guests at this year’s Turkish evening.

Films: 2 Girls (dir.: Kutlug Ataman) and Killing the Shadows (dir.: Ezel Akay).

Preview Screening of Fidibus and party in Pumpehuset

Hella Joof’s latest film Fidibus was shown for the first time on Monday, 25 September in Danish cinemas. The highly entertaining small-time crook comedy follows in the footsteps of Shake It and Oh Happy Days, but this time the film takes place in the world of small-time criminals, where the main figure Kalle (Rudi Køhnke, Nordkraft) ends up as an errand-boy (Danish: Fidibus) for the hash baron Paten due to unpaid debt. When Paten lands in prison, Kalle has to run the business himself, together with his friend Agger (played by the comedian Jonathan Spang). The only question is if Kalle can follow Paten’s three rules: one does not touch Paten’s money, Paten’s car and especially not Paten’s girl! The film was presented by the director Hella Joof and actors from the film.

After the film, a party in Pumpehuset saw musicians and DJs play music from the film’s soundtrack. The audience members had taken out their dancing gear and partied to music by Denmark’s reggae queen Natasja and the jazz singer Karina Kappel. All in all a fun and festive evening with great entertainment for both eyes and ears.

If you’re going to get married, you might as well go the whole hog and try to win the best wedding in a reality show. Or what? Romantic minds could get some inspiration for their wedding dreams on Wednesday, 27 September in CinemaxX, where we showed Debbie Isitt’s alternative English wedding comedy Confetti.  The film dishes out a liberal dose of pseudo reality TV about three future wedding couples, who bring out the worst in each other during the various challenges. Bone-dry English humour and an impressive lineup of actors with familiar faces, such as Alison Steadman and Martin Freeman (The Office).
Prior to the screening, the guests were offered snacks, chilled white wine, sweet drinks and pink candy to set the mood.

Brothers of the Head / Punk in Stengade 30

Punk was still alive and kicking in Empire Bio on Wednesday, 27 September. Here, one could see the mockumentary Brothers of the Head by the directors Louis Pepe and Keith Fulton (Lost in La Mancha), about two Siamese twins who shoot to fame as musicians. The film’s sense of authenticity is ensured by a highly convincing depiction of time, language and music, and thanks to the confident camera work of Anthony Dod Mantle.

Habana Blues and salsa at Café Barcelona

The effervescent and funky music film Habana Blues was shown in Empire Bio on Tuesday, 26 September. The film follows two young musicians, Ruy and Tito, who dream of becoming rich and famous – and about being able to get away from Cuba. The Spaniard Benito Zambrano’s film offers high spirits and a great soundtrack, while at the same time conveying the many small and large battles of an everyday life that doesn’t always lead up to a harmonious refrain.