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Dancer in the Dark
2000 140 min Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden R 18+
★7.9
Drama, Crime
Director: Lars von Trier
Trailers
EN
EN
EN
Description
Selma, a Czech immigrant on the verge of blindness, struggles to make ends meet for herself and her son, who has inherited the same genetic disorder and will suffer the same fate without an expensive operation. When life gets too difficult, Selma learns to cope through her love of musicals, dreaming up little numbers to the rhythmic beats of her surroundings.
Budget:
$12.5M
US Gross:
$4.18M
Worldwide:
$40.06M
Starring
Björk
Actor
Catherine Deneuve
Actor
David Morse
Actor
Awards
Goya Awards 2001
— Best European Film
European Film Awards 2000
— Audience Award – Best Director
Cannes Film Festival 2000
— Palme d'Or
Cannes Film Festival 2000
— Silver Award – Best Actress
César Awards 2001
— Best International Feature Film
European Film Awards 2000
— Best Picture
Golden Globe 2001
— Best Actress (Drama)
Golden Globe 2001
— Best Original Song
European Film Awards 2000
— Best Actress
Academy Awards 2001
— Best Original Song
European Film Awards 2000
— Audience Award – Best Actress
Key opinion
Dancer in the Dark is a polarising, emotionally devastating drama that divides audiences through its experimental blending of bleak realism and musical fantasy. While many viewers are profoundly moved by Björk’s raw performance and the film's harrowing, tragic conclusion, others find the plot illogical, the handheld cinematography amateurish, and the genre-blending pretentious.
| Acting | Björk delivers an intense, vulnerable performance that serves as the emotional anchor of the film. | |
| Cinematography | The documentary-style, handheld cinematography creates an immersive sense of realism for some, while others view it as an unnecessary, disruptive, and amateurish visual distraction. | |
| Originality | The musical numbers divide viewers; some see them as a poignant, ingenious exploration of the protagonist’s escapist psyche, while others find them jarring and incompatible with the film's gritty tone. | |
| Ending | The film’s devastating, bleak finale leaves many viewers deeply affected, though some dismiss the resolution as overly manipulative or lacking logical coherence. | |
| Screenplay | The narrative's reliance on the protagonist's questionable decision-making leads some to find the plot emotionally compelling, while others perceive it as frustratingly implausible and difficult to justify. |