| Empire | |
| Director: | Frederikke Aspöck |
| Producer: |
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| Starring: |
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| Cinematography: | Linda Wassberg |
| Editing: | Martin Schade |
| Music: | Rasmus Bille Bahncke |
| Studio: |
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| Runtime: | 93 minutes |
| Country: | Denmark |
| Language: | Danish |
Empire (Danish: Viften) is a 2023 absurdist period drama film directed by Frederikke Aspöck from a screenplay by Anna Neye. It stars Neye and Sara Fanta Traore.
The film had its world premiere on 29 January 2023 at the 2023 Gothenburg Film Festival. It won the 2023 Nordic Council Film Prize.
In the Danish West Indies in 1848, Anna Elizabeth Heegaard, a wealthy "free colored" woman, maintains a close friendship with Petrine, her housekeeper who is enslaved. Meanwhile, rumors of a slave rebellion begin to circulate.
The idea of the film was conceived during Neye's trip to Saint Croix in 2015, where she filmed a documentary about the history of black Danes.[1] [2] In January 2021, the project received €144,700 funding from the Nordisk Film & TV Fond.[3]
The principal photography took place in Canary Islands in May and June 2021.[2]
Empire had its world premiere on 29 January 2023 at the Gothenburg Film Festival, competing for the Dragon Awards.[4] REinvent acquired the film's international sales shortly after the world premiere.[5]
The film was released in Danish theatres on 20 April 2023.[6] Netflix acquired its distribution rights, releasing it on 23 October 2023.[7]
| Award | Date | Category | Recipient | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gothenburg Film Festival | 4 February 2023 | Dragon Award | Empire | [8] | |
| Nordic Council Film Prize | 1 November 2023 | Nordic Council Film Prize | [9] | ||
| Robert Awards | 3 February 2024 | Best Danish Film | Nina Leidersdorff, Frederikke Aspöck, and Anna Neye | [10] | |
| Best Actress in a Leading Role | Anna Neye | ||||
| Best Actress in a Supporting Role | Sara Fanta Traore | ||||
| Best Original Screenplay | Anna Neye | ||||
| Best Cinematography | Linda Wassberg | ||||
| Best Costume Design | Charlotte Moe | ||||
| Bodil Awards | 16 March 2024 | Best Danish Film | Empire | [11] | |
| Best Actress in a Supporting Role | Sara Fanta Traore | ||||
| TV 2 Talent Prize | |||||
| Best Screenplay | Anna Neye |