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Empire
Empire
Directed by	Frederikke Aspöck
Written by	Anna Neye
Produced by	Nina Leidersdorff; Meta Louise Foldager Sørensen; Pernille Munk Skydsgaard;
Starring	Anna Neye; Sara Fanta Traore;
Cinematography	Linda Wassberg
Edited by	Martin Schade
Music by	Rasmus Bille Bahncke
Production; companies	Meta Film; Brain Academy; Seven Islands Film;
Release date	29 January 2023 (Gothenburg);
Running time	93 minutes
Country	Denmark
Language	Danish

Empire (Danish: Viften) is a 2023 absurdist period drama film directed by Frederikke Aspöck from a screenplay by Anna Neye. It stars Neye and Sara Fanta Traore.

The film had its world premiere on 29 January 2023 at the 2023 Gothenburg Film Festival. It won the 2023 Nordic Council Film Prize.

Premise

In the Danish West Indies in 1848, Anna Elizabeth Heegaard, a wealthy "free colored" woman, maintains a close friendship with Petrine, her housekeeper who is enslaved. Meanwhile, rumors of a slave rebellion begin to circulate.

Cast

Anna Neye as Anna Elizabeth Heegaard
Sara Fanta Traore as Petrine
Claus Riis Østergaard as Peter von Scholten
Jesper Groth as Admiral Irminger

Production

The idea of the film was conceived during Neye's trip to Saint Croix in 2015, where she filmed a documentary about the history of black Danes.^[1]^[2] In January 2021, the project received €144,700 funding from the Nordisk Film & TV Fond.^[3]

The principal photography took place in Canary Islands in May and June 2021.^[2]

Release

Empire had its world premiere on 29 January 2023 at the Gothenburg Film Festival, competing for the Dragon Awards.^[4] REinvent acquired the film's international sales shortly after the world premiere.^[5]

The film was released in Danish theatres on 20 April 2023.^[6] Netflix acquired its distribution rights, releasing it on 23 October 2023.^[7]

Accolades

Award	Date	Category	Recipient	Result	Ref.
Gothenburg Film Festival	4 February 2023	Dragon Award	Empire	Nominated	^[8]
Nordic Council Film Prize	1 November 2023	Nordic Council Film Prize	Empire	Won	^[9]
Robert Awards	3 February 2024	Best Danish Film	Nina Leidersdorff, Frederikke Aspöck, and Anna Neye	Nominated	^[10]
		Best Actress in a Leading Role	Anna Neye	Nominated
		Best Actress in a Supporting Role	Sara Fanta Traore	Nominated
		Best Original Screenplay	Anna Neye	Nominated
		Best Cinematography	Linda Wassberg	Nominated
		Best Costume Design	Charlotte Moe	Nominated
Bodil Awards	16 March 2024	Best Danish Film	Empire	Nominated	^[11]
		Best Actress in a Supporting Role	Sara Fanta Traore	Nominated
		TV 2 Talent Prize	Sara Fanta Traore	Nominated
		Best Screenplay	Anna Neye	Nominated

References

^ Ludvigsen, Jacob (17 April 2023). "Ny Film om Dansk Slavefortid Blander Brutalitet og Humor: »Det Var Ekstremt Voldeligt Bare at Skulle Sidde og Tage Imod Alt Det Lort«". Soundvenue. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
^ ^a ^b Ntim, Zac (13 February 2023). ""We've Been Told A Completely Different Story About Danish History": How Frederikke Aspöck & Anna Neye Crafted Göteborg Colonial Satire 'Empire'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
^ Abbatescianni, Davide (13 January 2021). "The Nordisk Film & TV Fond announces the recipients of its January round of funding". Cineuropa. Archived from the original on 3 October 2024. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
^ Balaga, Marta (27 January 2023). "Göteborg Film Fest Champions New Nordic Talent, Addresses Colonialism With Screenings of 'Godland' and 'Empire'". Variety. Archived from the original on 3 October 2024. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
^ Ntim, Zac (9 February 2023). "'Empire': Danish Satire From 'The Wife' Producer Gets Sales Deal After Goteborg Debut — EFM". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
^ Hansen, Laura Dalgård (18 April 2023). "Se billederne: Kendte gæster til premiere på filmen Viften". Billed Bladet. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
^ "Den danske film 'Viften' får premiere på Netflix". Flixfilm. 12 October 2023. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
^ Balaga, Marta (4 February 2023). "Goteborg Film Festival Prizes: Malou Reymann's 'Unruly' Named Best Nordic Film". Variety. Archived from the original on 3 October 2024. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
^ Mitchell, Wendy (1 November 2023). "Denmark's 'Empire' wins $45,000 Nordic Council Film Prize". Screen International. Archived from the original on 3 October 2024. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
^ "Robert Prisen 2024: Her er de nominerede". Idoart. 9 January 2024. Archived from the original on 10 January 2024. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
^ Didriksen, Karina (26 January 2024). "Se listen: Her er de nominerede til Bodil-prisen 2024". Billed Bladet. Archived from the original on 26 January 2024. Retrieved 12 July 2024.

External links

Empire at IMDb

[1] Ludvigsen, Jacob (17 April 2023). "Ny Film om Dansk Slavefortid Blander Brutalitet og Humor: »Det Var Ekstremt Voldeligt Bare at Skulle Sidde og Tage Imod Alt Det Lort«". Soundvenue. Retrieved 12 July 2024.

[Deadline-2] Ntim, Zac (13 February 2023). ""We've Been Told A Completely Different Story About Danish History": How Frederikke Aspöck & Anna Neye Crafted Göteborg Colonial Satire 'Empire'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 12 July 2024.

[3] Abbatescianni, Davide (13 January 2021). "The Nordisk Film & TV Fond announces the recipients of its January round of funding". Cineuropa. Archived from the original on 3 October 2024. Retrieved 12 July 2024.

[4] Balaga, Marta (27 January 2023). "Göteborg Film Fest Champions New Nordic Talent, Addresses Colonialism With Screenings of 'Godland' and 'Empire'". Variety. Archived from the original on 3 October 2024. Retrieved 12 July 2024.

[5] Ntim, Zac (9 February 2023). "'Empire': Danish Satire From 'The Wife' Producer Gets Sales Deal After Goteborg Debut — EFM". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 12 July 2024.

[6] Hansen, Laura Dalgård (18 April 2023). "Se billederne: Kendte gæster til premiere på filmen Viften". Billed Bladet. Retrieved 12 July 2024.

[7] "Den danske film 'Viften' får premiere på Netflix". Flixfilm. 12 October 2023. Retrieved 12 July 2024.

[8] Balaga, Marta (4 February 2023). "Goteborg Film Festival Prizes: Malou Reymann's 'Unruly' Named Best Nordic Film". Variety. Archived from the original on 3 October 2024. Retrieved 12 July 2024.

[9] Mitchell, Wendy (1 November 2023). "Denmark's 'Empire' wins $45,000 Nordic Council Film Prize". Screen International. Archived from the original on 3 October 2024. Retrieved 12 July 2024.

[10] "Robert Prisen 2024: Her er de nominerede". Idoart. 9 January 2024. Archived from the original on 10 January 2024. Retrieved 12 July 2024.

[11] Didriksen, Karina (26 January 2024). "Se listen: Her er de nominerede til Bodil-prisen 2024". Billed Bladet. Archived from the original on 26 January 2024. Retrieved 12 July 2024.

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