The story of Ludvig Kahlen who pursued his lifelong dream: To make the heath bring him wealth and honor.The story of Ludvig Kahlen who pursued his lifelong dream: To make the heath bring him wealth and honor.The story of Ludvig Kahlen who pursued his lifelong dream: To make the heath bring him wealth and honor.
- Awards
- 21 wins & 15 nominations
Melina Hagberg
- Anmai Mus
- (as Hagberg Melina)
Laura Bilgrau Eskild-Jensen
- Anmai Mus (15)
- (as Laura Bilgrau)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaOfficial submission of Denmark for the 'Best International Feature Film' category of the 96th Academy Awards in 2024.
- Quotes
Ludvig von Kahlen: It is much more afraid of you than you are for it.
Featured review
Makes me want to know more about Danish history
In 1755, retired soldier Ludwig Kahlen (Mads Mikkelsen) decides to attempt the impossible - to cultivate the Danish Heath. This is a bleak and infertile wilderness which produces nothing but gorse and heather (though there are forests nearby, for some reason). He hopes to win honour and renown thereby.
Kahlen builds his house, and collects a motley crew of workers, including a priest, a pair of runaway serfs, and some lawless folk akin to gypsies. He sort-of adopts a gypsy girl. With much labour, he clears some land, then unveils his secret weapon - the potato.
Unfortunately, he runs foul of a sadistic local landowner (a wonderfully sinister performance by Simon Bennebjerg), who considers himself above the law and has no problem with violence.
The film follows Kahlen through one growing season, at the end of which his feud with the landowner reaches a bloody climax.
The epitaph on screen seems to suggest that this is based on a true story, but I don't know if that's the case.
The performances are excellent throughout; the landscape is compelling, and the cinematography superb.
Kahlen builds his house, and collects a motley crew of workers, including a priest, a pair of runaway serfs, and some lawless folk akin to gypsies. He sort-of adopts a gypsy girl. With much labour, he clears some land, then unveils his secret weapon - the potato.
Unfortunately, he runs foul of a sadistic local landowner (a wonderfully sinister performance by Simon Bennebjerg), who considers himself above the law and has no problem with violence.
The film follows Kahlen through one growing season, at the end of which his feud with the landowner reaches a bloody climax.
The epitaph on screen seems to suggest that this is based on a true story, but I don't know if that's the case.
The performances are excellent throughout; the landscape is compelling, and the cinematography superb.
helpful•92
- Lomax343
- Feb 28, 2024
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Details
- Release date
- Countries of origin
- Languages
- Also known as
- The Bastard
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $8,500,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $257,749
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $121,505
- Feb 4, 2024
- Gross worldwide
- $1,572,137
- Runtime2 hours 7 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 4K DCP
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