By Erin Free
Inspired by Dogma 95 – the against-the-grain, lo-fi film movement made famous by Lars Von Trier and Thomas Vinterberg – five current Danish filmmakers are looking to keep it real with Dogme 25.
Back in the mid-nineties, a handful of filmmakers led by Lars Von Trier and Thomas Vinterberg released their now famous Dogma 95 manifesto, in which they co-signed a “vow of chastity” disallowing themselves from the use of artificial lighting, special effects and other taken-as-given accoutrements of modern cinema. The gritty, shot-on-video movement resulted in stunningly raw and stripped-back central films like Von Trier’s The Idiots, Lone Scherfig’s Italian For Beginners, Susanne Bier’s Open Hearts and Vinterberg’s The Celebration, and lesser-known but equally compelling works like Kristian Levring’s The King Is Alive and Harmony Korine’s Julien Donkey-Boy.
Now, in a cinematic landscape dominated by CGI, existing IP and other slick contemporary fads, five filmmakers have now taken on a new vow and delivered their own similarly themed manifesto with Dogma 25. May el-Thouky (Queen Of Hearts, The Crown), Milad Alami (The Charmer, When The Dust Settles), Isabella Eklöf (Holiday, Kalak), Annika Berg (Hurricane) and rising talent Jesper Just have used The Cannes Film Festival to announce their intended move into seriously lo-fi territory.
“We celebrate Dogma 95, the filmmakers who came before us, and those who will come after. We stand together to defend artistic freedom as a shield against pointlessness and powerlessness. Dogma 25 is a rescue mission and a cultural uprising,” said the filmmakers in an official statement. “In a world where formulaic films based on algorithms and artificial visual expression are gaining traction, it is our mission to stand up for the flawed, distinct, and human imprint. We champion the uncompromising and unpredictable, and we fight against the forces working to reduce cinematic art to an ultra-processed consumer product.”
Pioneers Lars Von Trier and Thomas Vinterberg have responded warmly to the five Danish filmmakers and their new manifesto, which encourages aesthetic restraint, location shooting related to the narrative, minimal outside funding, and only limited dialogue. “In ’95, we made films in the certainty of peace and created a revolt against conformity,” said the duo in a statement of support. “In ’25, new dogmas were created, now in a world of war and uncertainty. We wish you the best of luck on your march toward reconquering Danish film.”
Says Milad Alami: “We are in a unique situation where franchises are ruling and original stories are tough to finance. I felt it was all the more important to join this collective, when the world is in fucking ruin, with wars and everything else challenging us. Hopefully this impetus to go back to the Dogma roots of authorship will not only spark inspiration from other filmmakers but also create movies that will surprise the audience.”
We’re into it, big time. If Dogma 25 produces at least a few films that even just come close to the thematic ferocity, stylistic genius, and extreme emotional punch of Von Trier’s fierce masterpiece The Idiots, it will all be worth it. Who knows, maybe James Gunn will sign up and really deliver something different with his remaining slate of projects for DC Films…
Stay tuned for more on Dogma 25.
