Kira's Reason: A Love Story (2001)
"En kærlighedshistorie" (original title)

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?

Writers:

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

Stars:

Stine Stengade, Lars Mikkelsen, Sven Wollter

11 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
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

Storyline

Kira and Mads have been married for some years when she is put away for two years in a mental institution. The movie begins when she returns to her home, her husband and their two kids. However, she is not fully recovered and doesn't know how to behave in the outside world. She also suspects Mads of having an affair. She causes several scandals, before she gets one final chance to do something right. The question is if their love is strong enough to overcome all these troubles.

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Plot Keywords:

mental institution | love | depression | dogme 95 | mental illness | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Country:

Denmark

Language:

Danish Swedish English

Release Date:

26 October 2001 (Denmark)

Also Known As:

Kira's Reason: A Love Story

Filming Locations:

Hotel Marienlyst, Helsingør, Sjælland, Denmark

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$1,791 (USA) (17 January 2003)

Gross:

$1,791 (USA) (17 January 2003)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Nimbus Film Productions, Zentropa Entertainments, Danmarks Radio (DR)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

93 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

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.

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Connections

Referenced in Bag kameraet: En kærlighedshistorie (2002)

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Soundtracks

"Carmela"
(Giambattista De Curtis (as De Curtis Giovan Battista) / arr. César Berti (as C. Berti))
Performed by Øyvind Ougaard (as Ougaard), César Berti (as Berti), Klaus Menzer (as Menzer) & Mads Vinding (as Vinding)

User Reviews

a film about marriage.

A very powerful film about marriage and relationships between spouses in general. And deep love as well with all its complexity and curves. First of all I don't think that the point is the mental illness. This looks to me like a trick to make the situation more realistic. The same sick situation it would be depicted without an explicitly ill woman (or man). Lets ask ourselves how many times we wonder if our spouse behaves normally or is in the margin of insanity! The second point is that there is not a bad and a good guy. There is not a one sided responsibility for the problems. They constantly exchange roles. We sympathize them both in their sincere effort to get along, although forces beyond their power (that is why I declare that the trick with the illness works so nice) makes it very difficult. And the third point. Love is not linear and without curves. Their behavior is so different from time to time or at the same time. He is so tender but he rapes her. She is so affectionate but she goes for a one night stand with a stranger. She is so close with the children but she abandons them. And so on. The actors are magnificent (not only the leading roles) the cinematography is excellent, artistically is of very high standards. Highly recommended.