Oscar-nominated Danish filmmaker Thomas Vinterberg is set to make his television drama debut with six-part family saga “Families Like Ours.” (Via Variety.) The Dane’s profile skyrocketed recently after he nabbed a surprise Oscar nomination for Best Director for his latest film “Another Round,” which is also nominated for Best International Feature at this year’s Academy Awards. “Families Like Ours” will continue Vinterberg’s collaboration with “Another Round” producer Zentropa, the Danish company founded by Lars Von Trier and producer Peter Aalbæk Jensen.
“Families Like Ours” has been commissioned by Danish broadcaster TV2 and will be supported by Danish Public Service funds. In addition to directing, Vinterberg will co-write the script with Bo Hr. Hansen, co-writer of his first feature “The Biggest Heroes.”
According to Variety:
Sisse Graum Jørgensen, long a leading figure at Zentropa, will produce the series along with Kasper Dissing. Jørgensen has worked with Vinterberg on four films — “Dear Wendy,” “The Hunt,” “The Commune” and “Another Round.”
“‘Families Like Ours’ will be a series exploring the things that you cannot control in life, [but which inspires] you to embrace these things as part of your journey,” Jørgensen said. “Thomas had the idea for ‘Families Like Ours’ long before the pandemic but it turns out that it really connects with our times or where we are now in the world today. We are all so concerned about what is happening around us, what will happen next, when will this end and, at the same time, we just need to continue enjoying our lives.”
After premiering at Cannes last spring, “Another Round” went on to play both the Toronto and San Sebastian film festivals, where star Mads Mikkelsen took home two acting honors. The film also won 4 European Film Awards, a Cesar for best foreign film, a BAFTA for best film not in the English language and a Golden Globe nomination. It is nominated for two Academy Awards.
“Families Like Ours” has been commissioned by Danish broadcaster TV2 and will be supported by Danish Public Service funds. In addition to directing, Vinterberg will co-write the script with Bo Hr. Hansen, co-writer of his first feature “The Biggest Heroes.”
According to Variety:
“‘Families Like Ours’ takes place in summertime Denmark where everything seems normal, but is about to be disrupted by a natural catastrophe. After a flood slowly takes over the country, Denmark is gradually evacuated. People must bid farewell to what they love, what they know, and to who they are. In the coming years, Danes disperse in all directions: only houses, schools and empty streets are left.
Those who can afford it travel to good countries, while those who are less well-off have to use a government-funded program to move to more challenging places. Families, friends and loved ones will be separated; hatred and division will arise among some, while love and reconciliation will grow among others. In a flash, all property is worthless, all fortunes changed, and luck favors only a few of the traveling Danes.”
Sisse Graum Jørgensen, long a leading figure at Zentropa, will produce the series along with Kasper Dissing. Jørgensen has worked with Vinterberg on four films — “Dear Wendy,” “The Hunt,” “The Commune” and “Another Round.”
“‘Families Like Ours’ will be a series exploring the things that you cannot control in life, [but which inspires] you to embrace these things as part of your journey,” Jørgensen said. “Thomas had the idea for ‘Families Like Ours’ long before the pandemic but it turns out that it really connects with our times or where we are now in the world today. We are all so concerned about what is happening around us, what will happen next, when will this end and, at the same time, we just need to continue enjoying our lives.”
After premiering at Cannes last spring, “Another Round” went on to play both the Toronto and San Sebastian film festivals, where star Mads Mikkelsen took home two acting honors. The film also won 4 European Film Awards, a Cesar for best foreign film, a BAFTA for best film not in the English language and a Golden Globe nomination. It is nominated for two Academy Awards.