Brothers (2004) Brødre (original title)

Director:

Susanne Bier

Writers:

Susanne Bier (story)
Anders Thomas Jensen (story)

Release Date:

27 August 2004 (Denmark)

Genre:

Drama | War

Plot:

Two brothers must negotiate changing roles and shifting family dynamics when one is sent to war in Afghanistan.

Plot Keywords:

Afghanistan | Prisoner | Beaten To Death | Gun | Adultery

Awards:

13 wins & 21 nominations

Cast

Connie Nielsen	...	Sarah
Ulrich Thomsen	...	Michael
Nikolaj Lie Kaas	...	Jannik
Sarah Juel Werner	...	Natalia
Rebecca Løgstrup	...	Camilla (as Rebecca Løgstrup Soltau)
Bent Mejding	...	Henning
Solbjørg Højfeldt	...	Else
Niels Olsen	...	Allentoft
Paw Henriksen	...	Niels Peter
Lars Hjortshøj	...	Preben 2
Lars Ranthe	...	Preben 1
André Babikian	...	Nadeem
Lene Maria Christensen	...	J. Solvej
Laura Bro	...	Ditte
Henrik Koefoed	...	Bartender
Tom Mannion	...	Miles
Kae Bahar	...	Makmuhd (as Karzan Sherabayani)
Waleed Elgadi	...	Samial-Tariq, Afghanistan (as William El-Gardi)
Alex Caan	...	Farid, Afghanistan
Sam Vincenti	...	Wisam, Afghanistan
Hossein Karimbeik	...	Hossein, Afghanistan
Hassani Shapi	...	Hassan Afghanistan
Bjarne Antonisen	...	Fåborg
Morten Kirkskov	...	Officer 1
Claus Flygare	...	Officer 2
Niels Lund Boesen	...	Fængselsbetjent 1
Morten Hebsgaard	...	Fængselsbetjent 2
Michael Asmussen	...	Politibetjent 1
Rasmus Botoft	...	Politibetjent 2
Alexis Rodney	...	US-soldat 1
Philip Bulcock	...	US-soldat 1
Thomas Magnussen	...	Radartekniker
Scott Farrell	...	Engelsk militærlæge
Tobias Theodor Caspersen	...	Gustav
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Thorbjørn Hein	...	Royal Guard Officer in church (uncredited)
Maj-Britt Mathiesen	...	Sygeplejerske (uncredited)

Directed by
Susanne Bier

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Susanne Bier		story
Anders Thomas Jensen		story

Produced by
Anna Anthony	....	co-producer
Karen Bentzon	....	line producer
Gillian Berrie	....	co-producer
Malte Forssell	....	co-producer
Peter Garde	....	executive producer
Peter Aalbæk Jensen	....	producer
Sisse Graum Jørgensen	....	producer (as Sisse Graum Olsen)
Sofie Saxild	....	assistant producer
Aagot Skjeldal	....	co-producer
Jaume Vilalta	....	producer: Spain

Original Music by
Johan Söderqvist

Cinematography by
Morten Søborg

Film Editing by
Pernille Bech Christensen
Adam Nielsen

Casting by
Des Hamilton
Lene Seested
Jette Termann

Production Design by
Viggo Bentzon

Set Decoration by
Lene Ejlersen

Costume Design by
Signe Sejlund

Makeup Department
Morten Jacobsen	....	special makeup effects artist
Charlotte Laustsen	....	makeup artist
Anne Cathrine Sauerberg	....	key makeup artist (as Anne-Cathrine Sauerberg)

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

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Henrik Henziger	....	second assistant director: Spain
Joakim Höglund	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Ivar Baungaard	....	prop master
Tone Bonnén	....	prop master
Fernando Contreras	....	construction coordinator: Spain
Lars Fog-Møller	....	chief props
Henrik Hjørnholm	....	props assistant
Veronica Hodges	....	prop master
Magnus Kasting	....	props assistant
Niels Mølgaard	....	props assistant
Søren Skjær	....	assistant production designer: Spain

Sound Department
Kristian Eidnes Andersen	....	sound editor
Jean-Michel Beranger	....	french dubbing mixer
Per Dybdahl	....	sound assistant
Anne Jensen	....	sound designer
Kasper Munck-Hansen	....	assistant sound designer
Julien Naudin	....	foley artist
John Nielsen	....	boom operator
Eddie Simonsen	....	B-sound designer
Per Streit	....	sound designer
Per Streit	....	sound
Mark Kenna	....	consultant: Dolby film sound (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Reyes Abades	....	special effects coordinator

Visual Effects by
Søren Buus	....	lead 3D animator
Peter Hjorth	....	visual effects supervisor
Dan Konzior	....	color grader
Rasmus Lange	....	visual effects designer
Justin Legg	....	online and effects
Nanna Mailand-Mercado	....	visual effects producer
Tine Nikali	....	particles & volumetrics animator
Mads Nybo Jørgensen	....	online and effects
Richard Pilmore	....	filter settings
Søren Tomas	....	visual effects producer

Stunts
Hans Peter Ludvigsen	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Erik Aavatsmark	....	still photographer
Stine Hein	....	lighting technician
Mikael Kort Kristensen	....	grip
Morten Nybø	....	lighting technician (as Morten Nyboe)
Michael Rosenløv Jensen	....	first assistant camera
Otto Stenov	....	light design
Peter Daniel Zeuthen	....	clapper loader

Casting Department
Paco Cañizares	....	casting: Spain
Kahleen Crawford	....	additional casting: UK
Des Hamilton	....	additional casting: UK

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Anne-Dorthe Eskildsen	....	costume design assistant
Maj-Britt Velling	....	costume design assistant

Editorial Department
Anne Katrine Andersen	....	post-production coordinator
Torben Ager Andersen	....	assistant editor (as Torben Andersen)
Thomas Caspersen	....	telecine operator
Carsten Dyhr	....	assistant editor
Mette Høst Hansen	....	post-production coordinator
Peter Harry	....	assistant to editor
Julie Klitgaard	....	post-production coordinator
Jacob Thuesen	....	trailer editor
Mette Walter	....	post-production assistant

Music Department
Mikkel Maltha	....	music coordinator
Joakim Milder	....	orchestrator
Eddie Simonsen	....	music mixer
Paul Talkington	....	musical director

Other crew
Samanou Acheche Sahlstrøm	....	production assistant (as Samanou Acheche)
Beth Allan	....	production assistant
Fernando Alonso	....	location manager: Spain
Anders Barlebo	....	production coordinator
Mikael Colville-Andersen	....	script translator
Carrie Comerford	....	production executive
Linda Daae	....	continuity
Lars Dela	....	technical consultant
Anna Duffield	....	assistant to producer: UK
Thomas Engedal Sørensen	....	production assistant
Vanessa Fröchen	....	press attache: France
Christina Gurewitsch	....	personal assistant: Connie Nielsen
Jarl Axel Hansen	....	production assistant
Vanessa Jerrom	....	press attache: France
Fereshta Kazemi	....	voice-over
Ann Køj	....	accountant: Denmark
Jacob-Ole Remming	....	runner
Morten Rosenmeier	....	runner
Carsten Sparwath	....	location scout
Sanni Sylvester	....	production coordinator
Astrid Søndberg	....	production assistant
Malina Terkelsen	....	production assistant
Keld Thaarup	....	voice coach
Isabel Tulloch	....	accountant: UK
Michael Tøt	....	production assistant
Tomás Urbán	....	weapons master: Spain
Ann Vognsen	....	accountant: Denmark (as Anse Vognsen)
Claire Vorger	....	press attache: France (redux version )
Sarah Wells	....	accountant: UK
Paul Wilson	....	title graphic design

Production Companies

• Two Brothers Ltd.
• Fjellape Film AS (co-production)
• Memfis Film (co-production)
• Sigma Films (co-production)
• Zentropa Entertainments

Distributors

• A-Film Distribution (2005) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Focus Features (2005) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• IFC Films (2005) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Look Now! (2005) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Teodora Film (2005) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Équation (2006) (France) (theatrical)
• 791 Cine (2007) (Argentina) (all media)
• A-Film Home Entertainment (2006) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• A-Film Home Entertainment (2008) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Divisa Home Video (2012) (Spain) (DVD)
• Gativideo (2007) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Gativideo (2007) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Mandala Films (2005) (Mexico) (all media)
• Nordisk Film Biografdistribution (worldwide)
• Pelicanfilms (2006) (Switzerland) (DVD)
• SF Media (2006) (Germany) (DVD)
• Vivarto (2006) (Poland) (all media)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (2010) (Finland) (TV)

Special Effects

• 3D Connection (match moving)
• Gearless ApS (visual effects)

Other Companies

• Angel Recording Studios  sound recording studio
• Klippegangen ApS  post-production services
• Mac Million Ltd.  post-production facilities
• Mainstream ApS  sound studio
• Rekorder ApS  video-to-film transfer

Also Known As:

"Brødre" - Denmark (original title)

MPAA:

Rated R for violence, language and brief nudity

Runtime:

117 min

Country:

Denmark | UK | Sweden | Norway

Language:

Danish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Netherlands:12 | Singapore:NC-16 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R | Iceland:16 | Belgium:KT | Australia:MA | Brazil:16 | France:U | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14A (Ontario) | Argentina:16 | South Korea:15 | New Zealand:R16 | Denmark:15

Filming Locations:

Almería, Andalucía, Spain

Company:

Two Brothers Ltd.

Trivia:

French visa # 114270.

Goofs:

Continuity: Sarah's pink scarf disappears and reappears several times in one of the scenes in the kitchen.

Quotes:

Michael:I will always love you. That is the only truth that remains. Life is neither right nor wrong, good or bad. But I love you. That's all I know.

Movie Connections:

References Beauty and the Beast (1991)

The realism lies not in the war scenes, which work, but in the family ones, which are harrowing.

Brothers (2004)

A remarkable movie in several ways. The first is just that it's well made, with two main layers of story line that are compelling, and some surprising and mostly believable turns. The second is that we (in the U.S.) have a look at the war in Afghanistan from non-American eyes. The echoes are inevitable, and so are the differences, in attitude by the soldiers and in public reaction.

The lead actor Ulrich Thomsen is compelling and versatile, and in some ways makes the movie. His range (which you have to see for yourself or you'll be tipped off) is terrific. His wife, played by better known Connie Nielsen (in her first Danish movie, even though she is Danish herself, and knows seven languages) is perfect, too, though she plays someone who is admittedly "boring" and so has less range. Finally, the lead man's brother, Nikolaj Lie Kaas, is charming and a wild card, making the trio appropriately imbalanced.

I say all this because it's an acting movie, and a movie about relationships and therefore about plot. It's not a war movie, but more about the effects of war. It's recommended for people who have absorbed American movies like The Hurt Locker. But more than that, it's just a well made, emotional, human interest film. There are a couple flaws (including the key part about the helicopter crash, which just doesn't hold up to common sense), but they are small in the larger, gritty realism of the whole.