Wilbur Wants to Kill Himself (2002)

Director:

Lone Scherfig

Writers:

Lone Scherfig (written by) &
Anders Thomas Jensen (written by)

Release Date:

8 November 2002 (Denmark)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

The life he wanted to end, was just about to begin

Plot:

The good-hearted Harbour has spent his whole life trying to take care of his motherless and suicidal little brother...

Plot Keywords:

Book | Death | Bookstore | Patient | Love

Awards:

11 wins & 20 nominations

Cast

Jamie Sives	...	Wilbur
Adrian Rawlins	...	Harbour
Shirley Henderson	...	Alice
Lisa McKinlay	...	Mary
Mads Mikkelsen	...	Horst
Julia Davis	...	Moira
Susan Vidler	...	Sophie
Robert McIntosh	...	Taylor
Lorraine McIntosh	...	Ruby
Gordon Brown	...	Wayne
Mhairi Morrison	...	Claire (as Mhairi Steenbock)
Andrew Townsley	...	Doctor
Coral Preston	...	Jenny
Colin McAllister	...	Male Supervisor
Owen Gorman	...	Porter
John Yule	...	Alan's Father
Anne Marie Timoney	...	Night Nurse
Martin O'Connor	...	Suicide Patient 1
Elaine M. Ellis	...	Suicide Patient 2 (as Elaine Mackenzie Ellis)
Chun-Wah Tsang	...	Chinese Waiter
Des Hamilton	...	Butcher
Jazmin Fraser	...	Fatima
Rory Elrick	...	Angus
Lloyd Butler	...	Thomas
Scott Turner	...	Child 1
Connall Henderson	...	Child 2
Amber Randell McLean	...	Child 3
Olivia Calder	...	Choma
Samantha McNiven	...	Morgana
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Claire Ross-Brown	...	(voice) (uncredited)
Nick Smith	...	Dr. Robert McElung (uncredited)

Directed by
Lone Scherfig

Writing credits
Lone Scherfig		(written by) &
Anders Thomas Jensen		(written by)

Produced by
Karen Bentzon	....	line producer
Gillian Berrie	....	co-producer
Sara Harkins	....	line producer
Peter Aalbæk Jensen	....	executive producer
Sisse Graum Jørgensen	....	producer (as Sisse Graum Olsen)
Ib Tardini	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Joachim Holbek

Cinematography by
Jørgen Johansson

Film Editing by
Gerd Tjur

Production Design by
Jette Lehmann

Art Direction by
Mark Leese

Set Decoration by
Christine Bechameil		(decorator)
Jim O'Donnell		(decorator)
Ursula Riismøller Nielsen		(decorator) (as Ursulu Riis Møller Nielsen)

Costume Design by
Françoise Nicolet		(as Francoise Nicolet)

Makeup Department
Christine Brack	....	makeup assistant
Tine Buch	....	makeup designer
Caroline Hamilton	....	makeup assistant
Agneta von Gegerfelt	....	makeup assistant

Production Management
William Knuttel	....	production manager
Pia Nielsen	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Emma Bedford	....	second second assistant director
Marissa Carrera	....	third assistant director (as Marissa Carrara)
Antony Castle	....	first assistant director
Ingrid Kofoed	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Karsten Sand Andersen	....	storyboard artist: Ghost
Jim Elliott	....	stand-by props (as Jim Elliot)
Charlotte Garnov	....	props
Caroline Grebbell	....	props buyer
John Harkins	....	art department dailies
Paul Harkins	....	art department dailies
Emma Henderson	....	petty cash buyer
Peter Holmgård	....	props assistant
Jake Irving	....	art department trainee
Søren Jochumsen	....	carpenter
Carsten Larsen	....	carpenter
Søren Lundborg	....	carpenter
Rhian Nicholas	....	art department assistant
Sten Nielsen	....	carpenter
Tine Hieronymus Nielsen	....	property master (as Tine Hieronimus)
Gunnar Rosén	....	carpenter (as Gunnar Rosen)
Hjørdis Toft	....	model maker
Jon Truelsen	....	stand-by props
Gail Wallace	....	art department assistant
Derek Welsh	....	carpenter
Paul Wilson	....	graphic designer: Yellow1

Sound Department
Asser Borgen	....	foley editor
Mikkel Groos	....	sound effects editor
Tom Hannen	....	ProTools operator
Kahl Henderson	....	dialogue editor
Micheal MacKinnon	....	foley artist (as Micheal McKinnon)
Alastair Mason	....	boom operator
Peter Murphy	....	boom operator (as Pete Murphy)
Rune Palving	....	sound designer
Dave Sontar	....	additional adr recordist

Special Effects by
Kristoffer Bentzon	....	special effects: Denmark
Lars Kolding Andersen	....	special effects: Denmark
Evan Green-Hughes	....	special effects supervisor (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Niels Valentin Dal	....	compositing artist
Lars Bjørn Hansen	....	Flame operator
Peter Hjorth	....	visual effects supervisor
Rasmus Lange	....	compositing artist

Stunts
Tracey Caudle	....	stunt performer (as Tracy Caudle)
Neil Finnighan	....	stunt coordinator
Hans Peter Ludvigsen	....	stunt performer

Camera and Electrical Department
Peter Alsted	....	clapper loader
Per Arnesen	....	still photographer
Lars Banzon Bastholm	....	electrician (as Lars Bastholm)
Dirk Brüel	....	additional photographer
Niels Dose	....	gaffer
Stine Hein	....	best boy
Morten Kastberg	....	electrician
Mark Mavrinac	....	dolly grip
Ross Pearson	....	rigger
John Frimann Rasmussen	....	focus puller
Chris Shaw	....	camera trainee
Pat Sweeney	....	generator operator
Gary Thompson	....	best boy
Julie Bills	....	first assistant camera: dailies (uncredited)

Casting Department
Kahleen Crawford	....	casting assistant: Big Fish Casting
Des Hamilton	....	casting: Big Fish Casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Anne Matheson	....	wardrobe assistant
Louise Kjærulff Skjær	....	wardrobe assistant

Editorial Department
Anne Katrine Andersen	....	post-production coordinator
Torben Ager Andersen	....	assistant editor (as Torben Andersen)
Marlene Billie Andreasen	....	first assistant editor
Karina Buttler	....	assistant editor (as Karina Butler)
Thomas Caspersen	....	digital film recordist
Peter Diemar	....	digital color grader
Mette Høst Hansen	....	post-production assistant
Mikkel Lindskov Hansen	....	on-line editor
Troels Hoe	....	on-line editor
Lasse Martinussen	....	assistant editor
Michael Frank Nielsen	....	film color timer (as Michael Nielsen)
Helle Tang	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Nick Gray	....	music assistant
Lars Krarup	....	musician: guitar
Mike Ross-Trevor	....	music mixer
Mike Ross-Trevor	....	music recording engineer
Anders Valbro	....	music supervisor
Allan Wilson	....	conductor: The Philharmonia Orchestra

Transportation Department
Pat Harkins	....	driver
Dave Williams	....	facilities transport captain (uncredited)

Other crew
Svend Abrahamsen	....	consultant: Nordic Film & TV Fund
Henrik Agermann	....	banking services: Forstædernes Bank
Pilou Asbæk	....	production runner (as Johan Philip Asbæk)
Susanne Bille	....	marketing and public relations
Morten Bundgaard	....	assistant to producers: Denmark
Tai Shin Carstensen	....	marketing and public relations
Abbi Cope	....	caterer: Scotland
Lars Dela	....	technical consultant
Anna Duffield	....	assistant to producers: Scotland
Yvonne Dunn	....	lawyer: Wright, Johnstone & MacKenzie
Mikkel Erlandsen	....	production runner
Birthe Frost	....	continuity
Marie Cecilie Gade	....	financing coordinator (as Marie Gade)
Graham Galloway	....	floor runner
Peter Garde	....	financing supervisor
Jo Gibson	....	dailies runner
Lizette Gram	....	marketing and public relations
Jesper Grüner	....	production assistant
Stewart Hamilton	....	dailies runner
Camilla Hammerich	....	consultant: TV2 Danmark
Jeanett Hansen	....	banking services: Forstædernes Bank
Jens Georg Hansen	....	insurance broker: Marsh A/S (as Jens-Georg Hansen)
Regina Hansen	....	insurance broker: Marsh A/S
Nicholas Hawtin	....	script translator
Shian Holt	....	location assistant
Frederik Honoré	....	marketing and public relations
Mikkel Kastberg	....	assistant to producers: Denmark (as Mikkel Bussenius Kastberg)
Anders Kjærhauge	....	legal advisor
William Knuttel	....	set manager
Ann Køj	....	production accountant: Denmark
Jan Lehmann	....	marketing and public relations
Emilie Brandt Luke	....	production intern (as Emilie Luke)
Hans Lönnerheden	....	completion bond: Film Finances Scandinavia
Donald MacKinnon	....	location manager
Ranald Maclean	....	production runner
Mikkel Maltha	....	legal advisor
Lucy Marr	....	production accountant: Scotland
Kenny McGhee	....	unit nurse
John McKain	....	production accountant: UK
Jennifer Mitchell	....	unit nurse
Per Neumann	....	completion bond: Film Finances Scandinavia
Abigail Payne	....	lawyer: Harbottle & Lewis
Charlotte Pedersen	....	financing coordinator
Angus Pigott	....	production coordinator
Adam Price	....	consultant: TV2 Danmark
Michael Sandager	....	behind-the-scenes
Christian Scherfig	....	legal advisor: director and writers, Lindh Stabell Horten
Lasse Schmidt	....	subtitler
Sam Stewart	....	caterer: Scotland
Stef Swiatek	....	unit nurse (as Stefania Swiatek)
Jonathan Sydenham	....	script translator
Ulrik Trojaborg	....	script consultant
Ann Vognsen	....	production accountant: Denmark
Lars von Trier	....	script consultant
Mette Walter	....	assistant to producers: Denmark
Vinca Wiedemann	....	commissioning editor: Danish Film Institut
Paul Wilson	....	title designer: Yellow1
Karen Wood	....	continuity
Peter Hjorth	....	consultant: HDTV (uncredited)

Thanks
Bettina Brokemper	....	the producers wish to thank
Arnold Clark	....	the producers wish to thank
Claudia Deselaers	....	the producers wish to thank (as Claudia Droste Deselaers)
Douglas Graham	....	the producers wish to thank
Isabel Krolla	....	the producers wish to thank
David Mackenzie	....	the producers wish to thank
John Milarky	....	the producers wish to thank
Michael Schmid-Ospach	....	the producers wish to thank

Production Companies

• Zentropa Entertainments
• Wilbur Ltd.
• Scottish Screen (in association with)
• Sigma Films (in association with)
• TV2 Danmark (in association with)
• Glasgow Film Office (in association with)
• Sveriges Television (SVT) (in association with)

Distributors

• Nordisk Film Biografdistribution (2002) (Denmark) (theatrical)
• Trust Film Sales (2002) (worldwide) (all media) (sales)
• A-Film Distribution (2003) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Frenetic Films (2003) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Kinowelt Filmverleih (2003) (Germany) (theatrical) (co-distributor)
• ottfilm GmbH (2003) (Germany) (theatrical) (co-distributor)
• Nordisk Film Video (2003) (Denmark) (DVD)
• Alfa Films (2004) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Bir Film (2004) (Turkey) (theatrical)
• Les Films du Losange (2004) (France) (theatrical)
• Rosebud (2004) (Greece) (theatrical)
• THINKFilm (2004) (USA) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (2004) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (2004) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Kinowelt Home Entertainment (2004) (Germany) (DVD)
• Palisades Pictures (2004) (USA) (all media)
• Sundance Channel Home Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2004) (Switzerland) (DVD)
• Sundance Channel Home Entertainment (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• CinemArt (????) (Czech Republic) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Nordisk Film Distributors (2003) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Golem Distribución (????) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Nordisk Film Biografdistribution (????) (Norway) (theatrical)
• Nordisk Film Biografdistribution (????) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• With Cinema (????) (Korea) (theatrical)
• A-Film Home Entertainment (200?) (Netherlands) (video)
• Netflix (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• Nordisk Film (2003) (Finland) (DVD) (VHS)
• TV2 Danmark (????) (Denmark) (TV)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (2007) (Finland) (TV) (TV2)

Special Effects

• Emergency House Special Effects
• Gearless ApS (visual effects facilities)

Other Companies

• Det Danske Filminstitut  supported by
• Nordisk Film- & TV-Fond  supported by
• Programme MEDIA de la Communauté Européenne  developed with the support of
• Big Fish Casting  casting
• Cabervans  facilities: Scotland
• Cath's Catering  catering: Denmark
• Film Finances  completion bond provided by
• G.E. Capital Bank  leasing company
• GT Caterers  catering: Scotland
• Hvidovre Totalentreprise ApS  carpenters
• Invicta Capital  financial advice
• Klippegangen ApS  post-production facility
• Mainstream ApS  sound studio
• Malde & Co.  auditor
• Malerfirmaet Keld Jørgensen ApS  painting
• Marsh A/S  insurance services
• Rekorder ApS  transfer facilities
• Savalas Audio Post-Production  sound studio: Scotland
• Shortcut Post Production  on-line and grading facility
• Snedkerfirmaet Leif Stoltze ApS  carpenters
• Sony Music Studios  music studio (as Sony Music Studios [London])
• Splashsports  divers
• TVropa  web site
• The Philharmonia Orchestra of London  score performed by

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for language and some disturbing images

Runtime:

111 min | Denmark:105 min | USA:109 min | Argentina:105 min

Country:

Denmark | UK | Sweden | France

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Argentina:16 | Australia:MA | Chile:14 | Denmark:11 | Finland:K-15 | Germany:12 | Italy:VM14 | Netherlands:MG6 | Sweden:11 | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:14 (canton of the Grisons) | UK:15 | USA:R | Canada:14A | Spain:13 | Portugal:M/16

Filming Locations:

Filmbyen, Avedøre, Sjælland, Denmark

Company:

Zentropa Entertainments

Trivia:

One of a more or less successful series of foreign language film made by Danish filmmakers using Danish money, after the success of Danish language films around the world. Others include Breaking the Waves (1996), Dancer in the Dark (2000), It's All About Love (2003), I Am Dina (2002), Dogville (2003), Skagerrak (2003) and The King Is Alive (2000).

Quotes:

Harbour:What's it like, being dead?
Wilbur:It's dull as dishwater. It's silent and completely dark... it's like being in Wales.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Det store lærred: Wilbur begår selvmord (2002) (TV)

A celebration of life... and suicide

"Wilbur wants to kill himself" is a (so)moving parable about how easy is to let yourself die when everything seems meaningless and how hard is to live when a disease is mining you.

Wilbur looks like a nice guy, the kind of man women like, he's good-looking, he has a brother who loves him... it doesn't seem like his existence is that miserable. Nevertheless he wants to leave this world, that's one of men's last rights so he'll try to kill himself in any possible way. On the contrary, his brother Harbour is full of life, he's an enthusiastic person, he's in love and he's just get married... how ironic, he has an incurable cancer, but that won't stop him from clinging to life till the last consequences.

Scherfig has moved away from the stupid DOGMA corset, and creates a perfect balance between the smile and the crying, tenderness and misanthropy, between life and death. She reduces the roughness of the hardest moments with a sarcastic turn or relying on the darkest sense of humor (that's always the best antidote against tragedy). Step by step she shows Wilbur the right way (and to all of us). No moral judgments, no dogmatism... there's no need to. Wilbur is a celebration of life, but is also a show of respect for those who don't wanna live anymore. Eventually it is a celebration of the best cinema: the one that makes you feel better.

*My rate: 8.5/10