Lars von Trier, whose Dancer in the Dark won the Palme d'Or in 2000, is no stranger to controversy, though he probably wasn't expecting to become "persona non grata" at this year's edition of the Cannes Film Festival.
Yesterday, while at a press conference for his latest effort, the doomsday family dramaMelancholia starring Kirsten Dunstand Charlotte Gainsbourg, von Trier talked about his German ancestry and jokingly said he was a Nazi, going on to claim "I understand much about [Hitler] and I sympathize with him a little bit."
Von Trier, whose wife is Jewish, later apologized.
Below is the press release from the Cannes Film Festival:
Cannes 19th May
The Festival de Cannes provides artists from around the world with an exceptional forum to present their works and defend freedom of expression and creation. The Festival’s Board of Directors, which held an extraordinary meeting this Thursday 19 May 2011, profoundly regrets that this forum has been used by Lars Von Trier to express comments that are unacceptable, intolerable, and contrary to the ideals of humanity and generosity that preside over the very existence of the Festival.
The Board of Directors firmly condemns these comments and declares Lars Von Trier a persona non grata at the Festival de Cannes, with effect immediately.
The festival's Board of Directors have also — sensibly — decided thatMelancholia remains in consideration in all categories, including the Palme d'Or.
However, if von Trier's film wins anything the director won't be allowed to hop onstage to accept his trophy.
"I don't have so much to say, so I kind of have to improvise a little and just to let the feelings I have kind of come out into words," von Trier later told The Associated Press. "This whole Nazi thing, I don't know where it came from, but you spend a lot of time in Germany, you sometimes want to feel a little free and just talk about this (expletive), you know?"
Additionally, Melancholia star Kirsten Dunst told AP Television News "I understand why they had to make that decision," while Danish Film Institute director Henrik Bo Nielsen said his organization would continue to fund the director's future films, adding:
"It is unfortunate that great cinema should drown in such farce and controversy totally irrelevant to the film itself. But there's nothing new in the fact that great artists make stupid and repugnant remarks."
Yesterday, while at a press conference for his latest effort, the doomsday family dramaMelancholia starring Kirsten Dunstand Charlotte Gainsbourg, von Trier talked about his German ancestry and jokingly said he was a Nazi, going on to claim "I understand much about [Hitler] and I sympathize with him a little bit."
Von Trier, whose wife is Jewish, later apologized.
Below is the press release from the Cannes Film Festival:
Cannes 19th May
The Festival de Cannes provides artists from around the world with an exceptional forum to present their works and defend freedom of expression and creation. The Festival’s Board of Directors, which held an extraordinary meeting this Thursday 19 May 2011, profoundly regrets that this forum has been used by Lars Von Trier to express comments that are unacceptable, intolerable, and contrary to the ideals of humanity and generosity that preside over the very existence of the Festival.
The Board of Directors firmly condemns these comments and declares Lars Von Trier a persona non grata at the Festival de Cannes, with effect immediately.
The festival's Board of Directors have also — sensibly — decided thatMelancholia remains in consideration in all categories, including the Palme d'Or.
However, if von Trier's film wins anything the director won't be allowed to hop onstage to accept his trophy.
Additionally, Melancholia star Kirsten Dunst told AP Television News "I understand why they had to make that decision," while Danish Film Institute director Henrik Bo Nielsen said his organization would continue to fund the director's future films, adding:
"It is unfortunate that great cinema should drown in such farce and controversy totally irrelevant to the film itself. But there's nothing new in the fact that great artists make stupid and repugnant remarks."
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