Did you watch the Oscars last Sunday?
This year, many danskere were following the American movie award show with a lot of spænding (excitement). Hvorfor? (Why?) Perhaps you noticed that a Danish film had been nominated in the category ”Best Foreign Language Film”…

If you’ve been following this blog, it should be no overraskelse (surprise) that the nominee was En kongelig affære (A Royal Affair), the historical trekantsdrama (play about a ”triangle” relationship) directed by Nikolaj Arcel. The film had already won two ”Silver Bears” in Berlin. It was also the fifth most watched movie in Denmark in 2012, with 1 in every 10 Danes buying a biografbillet (cinema ticket) for it.

Filmen bygger på en sand historie. (The film is based on a true story.) The 18th century konge (king) Christian 7th was somewhere between gal (mad) and sindssyg (insane, ”mentally ill”). His wife, the English princess Caroline Mathilde, suffered a lot because of this. She found an understanding elsker (lover) in Johann Friedrich Struensee, the king’s personal doctor. Soon the two lovers found ways to manipulate the king and get access to enormous power…

”En kongelig affære” got excellent anmeldelser (reviews) in Danish media. Many journalists were especially impressed by Mikkel Boe Følsgaard, who plays the king (he came straight from an actor’s school and had no prior movie experience). Alicia Vikander, the film’s dronning (queen), and the Danish superstjerne (superstar) Mads Mikkelsen, who plays Struensee, were also praised for their skuespil (acting).

Unfortunately, ”En Kongelig Affære” did not win the prestigious statuette. The Oscar for best fremmedsprogede film went to ”Amour” by William Haneke from Austria.

Here you can watch the trailer for ”En kongelig affære”:

The text says:

For mere end 200 år siden – More than 200 years ago

begyndte et trekantsdrama – a ”triangle play” started

mellem en dronning – between a queen

en konge – a king

og hans livlæge – and his personal doctor

En kærlighed – a love

som – that

ændrede – changed

Danmarkshistorien – the history of Denmark