Department Q: A Conspiracy of Faith (2016)

Two intertwined cases linking the past with the present will require the aid of Department Q to catch an elusive serial killer, while time is running out.

Director:

Hans Petter Moland

Writers:

Nikolaj Arcel, Jussi Adler-Olsen (novel)

Stars:

Nikolaj Lie Kaas, Fares Fares, Pål Sverre Hagen

2 wins & 11 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Nikolaj Lie Kaas	...	Carl Mørck
Fares Fares	...	Assad
Pål Sverre Hagen	...	Johannes
Jacob Lohmann	...	Elias (as Jakob Ulrik Lohmann)
Amanda Collin	...	Rakel
Johanne Louise Schmidt	...	Rose Knudsen
Jakob Oftebro	...	Pasgård
Signe Anastassia Mannov	...	Lisa
Søren Pilmark	...	Marcus Jacobsen
Michael Brostrup	...	Børge Bak
Morten Kirkskov	...	Lars Bjørn
Olivia Terpet Gammelgaard	...	Magdalena
Jasper Møller Friis	...	Samuel (as Jasper Friis Møller)
Louis Sylvester Larsen	...	Trygve
Lotte Andersen	...	Mia

Storyline

An old note is found in a bottle in Jutland which has traveled very long across the ocean a long time ago. The note is hard to decipher, but when the Danish investigator from Section Q receives it, the odd personalities within the section find a new angle on it and try to unveil yet another old and diabolic case even though the lead is cold.

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Plot Keywords:

danish | denmark | missing child | child abduction | religion | 

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Genres:

Drama | Thriller

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [Japan]

Country:

Denmark Germany Sweden Norway

Language:

Danish Norwegian

Release Date:

17 June 2016 (USA)

Also Known As:

Department Q: A Conspiracy of Faith

Filming Locations:

Denmark

Box Office

Budget:

DKK 39,500,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Zentropa Entertainments20,Det Danske Filminstitut,Film i Väst

Technical Specs

Runtime:

112 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital Dolby Surround 7.1 Dolby Atmos

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Nikolaj Lie Kaas (Carl Mørck) & Jasper Møller Friis (Samuel) also worked together on Bedrag (2016) as Alexander Sødergren & Simon respectively.

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Goofs

When Elias and the policeman buy train tickets they are supposed to be in the Danish town Hadsten. But outside the train station is a German phone booth from Deutsche Telekom. Also German road posts are clearly visible during several road scenes. Film was shot in Schleswig Holstein (northern part of Germany) due to financial reasons.

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Quotes

Johannes: And now... I'll take away your faith.
Carl Mørck: You're wasting time. I don't believe in God. I don't believe in anything. Take me instead, Johannes, take me instead.
Johannes: You're rescuing people you've never met. Of course you have faith. I've never met anyone, who's had as much faith as you...

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Connections

Follows Department Q: The Absent One (2014)

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Soundtracks

No Mas
(L. Woodrose)
Performed by Baby Woodrose
(P) Bad Afro Records

User Reviews

Dark and intriguing Nordic noir

I saw Norwegian director Hans Petter Moland's recent film In Order of Disappearance (2014) a couple of years ago. I was very impressed with that Nordic noir which was both very humorous and inventive. A Conspiracy of Faith is another thriller but one with quite a differing approach. It dispenses with the comedy of the earlier film and instead goes for a pretty downbeat approach. Hardly surprising really when you consider that the story is about two cops investigating the case of two abducted children. This kind of material is always one that is going to be somewhat dark, another recent north European film The Treatment (2014) dealt with this subject in a very head on manner and consequently was very disturbing indeed in places. A Conspiracy of Faith only goes so far with its dark material and by the end of the film slightly dissipates its impact further by having its narrative go into more standard thriller territory. But despite that, this is still another compelling bit of Nordic noir.

There are strong acting performances throughout, with a return performance from Pål Sverre Hagen - so memorable as the hilarious vegan crime boss from In Order of Disappearance - as the cold hearted psychopath. The story has added interest in that it mixes in themes of religion, with the killer himself solely targeting children from deeply religious families, exploiting the fact that these people have more faith in God than in the police. So there are a few distinctive elements interwoven into what otherwise may have been a standard serial killer thriller. I would probably rate this as less interesting as the more ambitious In Order of Disappearance but it still remains yet another pretty impressive Scandinavian noir.