Copenhagen (2014 film)

Copenhagen is an independent Canadian-American coming-of-age adventure film. It had its world premiere as the opening narrative feature at the 20th anniversary edition of the Slamdance Film Festival 2014.[1] The film won the Grand Jury Prize at the Florida Film Festival[2] and Gasparilla Film Festival.

Copenhagen
Directed byMark Raso
Produced by
Written byMark Raso
Starring
Music byAgatha Kaspar
CinematographyAlan Poon
Edited byMark Raso
Production
company
  • Fidelio Films
  • Scorched Films
Running time
98 minutes
Country
LanguageEnglish, Danish

Synopsis

After weeks of travelling through Europe, the immature American, William, finds himself at crossroads in Copenhagen. Copenhagen is not just another European city for William; it is also the city of his father's birth. When fourteen-year-old Effy, working in William's hotel as part of her school's internship (praktik), befriends the twenty-eight year-old William they set off on an adventure to deliver a letter written by William's father, to his father, after he was abandoned when eight years old. Along the way, thanks to Effy's persistence, they uncover William's family's sordid past.

Effy's mix of youthful exuberance and wisdom challenges William unlike any woman ever has. As the attraction builds and William truly connects with someone for the first time in his life, he must deal with the startling news that the love of his life and the only person who understands him is, unfortunately for everyone, half his age. After several days go by and their relationship deepens, William and Effy know that sooner or later they will have to go their separate ways. They go exploring at a museum where Effy manages to get William to caress her. They also go to an amusement park, enjoy several of the rides, and Effy gets William to open his eyes.

One night at a bar William sees Effy being dragged out of the bar by an older drunk man, who is revealed to be Effy's mother's boyfriend. William manages to stop the drunken man from dragging Effy away and beats him up, causing both he and Effy to flee the scene.

The two of them arrive at his hotel and William manages to sneak Effy inside. After talking with him for a short while, Effy tells William that she loves him and asks him if he wants her, to which he replies yes. Effy starts undressing and kisses William, initially he returns the kiss before stopping and picking up a sheet to cover the partially naked Effy. They still spend the night together. It is not said if they slept together, but the presumption is they probably did not. The next morning, William thanks Effy and they go their separate ways.

William must accept his past, the mature beyond-her-years Effy must be a kid again. William, a man whose growth was stunted by his father abandoning him as a child, must learn to finally grow up. Effy returns to her mom's apartment, where her Mom's now sober boyfriend tries to make up with her. Effy, fed up with her mom's boyfriend sexually harassing her, rejects his advances and tells her mom about it. Effy's mom breaks up with her obnoxious boyfriend and she and Effy grow even closer. William soon arrives at the home of his grandfather and delivers his father's letter to the grandfather he had never known.

Back at school, Effy quietly looks at several pictures she had taken with William and smiles at one of her sleeping in the hotel room she had shared with William. At the same time, William stands at the symbolic Skagen, where the North Sea meets the Baltic, presumably thinking about the impact meeting Effy has had on his life. Hundreds of kilometers apart from each other, Effy and William both hope that someday they will be together again.

Cast
  • Gethin Anthony – William
  • Frederikke Dahl Hansen – Effy
  • Sebastian Armesto – Jeremy
  • Olivia Grant – Jennifer
  • Baard Owe – Uncle Mads
  • Mille Dinesen – Effy's Mother
  • Martin Hestbæk – Henrik
  • Tamzin Merchant – Sandra
  • Preben Ravn – Thomas Vinter
  • Sebastian Bull Sarning - Albert
  • Gordon Kennedy – Uncle Peter
  • Sune Kofoed – Receptionist Madsen
  • Silja Eriksen Jensen – Signe
  • Julie Christiansen – Berlin Girl
  • Asbjørn Krogh Nissen – Ivan
  • Zaki Nobel Mehabil – Bartender Markus
  • Thomas Buttenschøn - Thomas Buttenschøn
  • Miriam Yeager - School Teacher
  • Kåre Fjalland - Priest
  • Jane Pejtersen - Dane on Bridge
  • Hélène Kuhn - Heather
  • Mads Korsgaard - Hostel Bartender

Production

The film was produced by Fidelio Films and Scorched Films. The film was shot in Copenhagen. It is the first feature film by Student Academy Award winner Mark Raso. The film was produced by Mauro Mueller and Mette Thygesen.

Release

The film premièred in theaters on October 3, 2014 in the US and Dec 5th in Canada. It is available on Google Play, Amazon Video, Vudu, and Netflix.

Reception

The film received positive reviews upon release, and holds a 93% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes[3] and 7.3/10 stars on IMDB.[4]

New York Times film critic David DeWitt writes that Raso's "absorbing film has a delicate nuance that will linger after the popcorn's gone".[5] Joe Leydon for Variety (magazine) writes that "To his credit, writer-director Raso provides an answer that is both emotionally and dramatically satisfying. Better still, he gets a pitch-perfect performance from Danish up-and-comer Hansen, who greatly impresses with her unaffected spontaneity, playing Effy as both precociously wise and tremulously vulnerable".[6] The Hollywood Reporter called the film "an impressive feature debut".

Awards
List of awards and nominations
Film Festival Category Nominee Outcome
Florida Film Festival Grand Jury Award for Best Narrative Feature Copenhagen Won[7]
Gasparilla International Film Festival Grand Jury Award for Best Feature Film Won[7]
Special Jury for Acting Frederikke Dahl Hansen Won[7]
Milano International Film Festival Leonardo's Horse Award for Best Supporting Actress Nominated[7]
Sedona International Film Festival Director's Choice Award for Best Feature Film Copenhagen Won[7]
Slamdance Film Festival Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature Won[7]
Grand Jury Prize for Best Narrative Feature Nominated[7]
Woods Hole Film Festival Jury Prize for Best Narrative Feature Film Won[7]
Destiny City Film Festival Best Narrative Feature Won[8]
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References
  1. "Copenhagen World Premiere 17 January 2014". Retrieved January 11, 2014.
  2. "2014 Florida Film Festival Announces Awards". Retrieved May 20, 2014.
  3. "Copenhagen - Rotten Tomatoes". Retrieved 2015-04-28.
  4. Copenhagen on IMDb
  5. https://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/03/movies/copenhagen-a-debut-by-the-writer-director-mark-raso.html?_r=0
  6. https://variety.com/2014/film/markets-festivals/slamdance-film-review-copenhagen-1201067960/
  7. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2459156/awards?ref_=tt_awd
  8. http://www.copenhagenthemovie.com/copenhagen-wins-destiny-city-film-festival/

http://filmmakermagazine.com/48072-marc-rasos-microbudget-production-diary-part-1/
http://filmmakermagazine.com/50735-mark-rasos-microbudget-production-diary-wrap-reflections/

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