En kærlighedshistorie (2001)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Writers:

Ole Christian Madsen (screenplay) &
Mogens Rukov (screenplay)

Release Date:

26 October 2001 (Denmark)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

Kira and Mads try to work out their marriage, after Kira has been two years in a mental institution, but is she really ready for the real world?

Plot Keywords:

Mental Institution | Love | Depression | Dogme 95 | Mental Illness

Awards:

9 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Stine Stengade	...	Kira
Lars Mikkelsen	...	Mads
Sven Wollter	...	Kira's Father
Peaches Latrice Petersen	...	Kay
Camilla Bendix	...	Charlotte
Lotte Bergstrøm	...	Michelle
Thomas W. Gabrielsson	...	Gustav
Ronnie Lorenzen	...	Mikkel (as Ronnie Hiort Lorenzen)
Oliver Appelt Nielsen	...	Julius
Klaus Pagh	...	Mads' Boss
Claus Strandberg	...	1st Supplier
Henrik Birch	...	2nd Supplier
Michael Hasselflug	...	3rd Supplier
Helle Merete Sørensen	...	Wife of 1st Supplier
Nicolas Bro	...	John

Also Known As:

Dogme # 21 - En Kærlighedshistorie (Denmark) (series title)
Kira's Reason: A Love Story (Canada: English title)

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

Denmark

Language:

Danish | Swedish | English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

Denmark:11

Filming Locations:

Hotel Marienlyst, Helsingør, Sjælland, Denmark

Company:

Nimbus Film Productions

Trivia:

The Dogme 95 certificate at the beginning of the film reads as follows: "This is to confirm that the director of the following motion picture, "En kærlighedshistorie", has submitted a signed, sworn statement to the effect that this motion picture has been produced in compliance with the rules and intentions set forth in the Dogme 95 manifesto. Dogme no. 21. Confirmed this day: Copenhagen 5. marts 2001." Signed Lars von Trier, Kristian Levring, Thomas Vinterberg, Søren Kragh-Jacobsen.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Bag kameraet: En kærlighedshistorie (2002) (V)

Soundtrack:

Sue Me

mood swings take toll on families

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

***Spoilers*** This film deals with the moodswings experienced by Kira, and although the illness is not specified it would appear to be manic-depression (aka bipolar disorder). The film didn't specify how long she was in hospital, but it was long enough for the husband to hire a housekeeper. When she returns home, she seems very warm and friendly (even getting into the personal space of the housekeeper and commenting she could tell she was a "good person" and then accusing her of sleeping with her husband and screaming at her to get out of the house.

Her two boys ask their father if they will be embarrassed by their mother's behavior and he assures them will not. Alas, this is not to be the case. (One wonders if, in fact, she has been sufficiently stabilized on her medications before leaving - the film leaves this up in the air, but she is seen drinking alcoholic beverages, which interact badly with many psychotropic drugs).

The film deals with the interactions of Kira's family(ies) - her father has left her mother some time ago, possibly because her mother may have the same illness. He speaks of her as being "full of emotion" and just not being able to cope with her. One wonders how her husband puts up with her behavior, ranging from going somewhat out of control at the children's pool at a natatorium to flirting with/going home with a stranger at a bar. She and her husband reconcile at the end, but one wonders. Both her father & sister appear, having been called by Kira when it seemed she and her husband were breaking up, and they both seem to have seen this behavior more than once before.