The Danish Poet

Voices of: Liv Ullmann
Directed by: Torill Kove
Rating: Not rated
Genre: Animation, Short, Romance
Length: 15 minutes
2006

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: A woman recalls the strange turns of fate that allowed her parents to meet and her to exist.

Review:

Tim: I enjoyed The Danish Poet, a poignant Norwegian short film that won the Academy Award for Best Animated Short. It offers up an interesting worldview and tells a story that combines fate, love, and literature. It's an interesting story that takes several twists and turns and it holds your attention as you watch to see how it all works out.

The story does take a while to build (and I recognize this is in context to the 15 minute run time). When watching it, I was genuinely curious where the story was going. I might have felt a little impatience as the story got going. What was I watching? Why did this matter? It's interesting that Torill Kove's film isn't in a rush- it lets the characters and the story breathe. It's a bit slower build up, but it eventually pays off. By the end of the film, the story coalesces together brilliantly and you understand the full context of the story. The conclusion is powerful and it took the right path to get there. Viewers may need a little patience in the early minutes of the short, but it does pay off.

I liked the animation style. It's very basic, but it felt in line with the story itself. It's not a highly stylistic story and the animation aligns perfectly with the story and Liv Ullmann's narration. It's almost like this is what you would picture in your head if you closed your eyes and listened to the story. This short film is highly focused on telling a powerful, heartfelt story. That's what matters and the animation style is secondary, in support of that. It works well.

I can see why this film won the Academy Award for Best Animated Short. Kove's film is mature and beautiful as it tells an impressive story that has real emotional depth to it. While watching, you reflect on the story as it's told, but you also reflect on your own life- the twists and turns of fate that shaped your life as you know it. It's thought-provoking.

I enjoyed The Danish Poet. I'm not much up on Norwegian cinema, but this first foray left me feeling impressed. This is a short film that deserved the accolades it received and is well worth our time.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating- N/A



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