Documentary Films - Competition 2010 / Armadillo / Denmark, Sweden 2010
Documentarist Janus Metz and cameraman Lars Skee spent six months with a group of Danish soldiers at the Armadillo army base in Afghanistan. The outcome of their work is a gripping and highly authentic war drama that was justly awarded the Grand Prix de la Semaine de la Critique at this year’s Cannes film festival.
In February 2009 a group of Danish soldiers accompanied by documentary filmmaker Janus Metz arrived at Armadillo, an army base in the southern Afghan province of Helmand. Metz and cameraman Lars Skree spent six months following the lives of young soldiers situated less than a kilometer away from Taliban positions. The outcome of their work is a gripping and highly authentic war drama that was justly awarded the Grand Prix de la Semaine de la Critique at this year’s Cannes film festival. But it also provoked furious debate in Denmark concerning the controversial behavior of certain Danish soldiers during a shootout with Taliban fighters. The filmmakers repeatedly risked their lives shooting this tense, brilliantly edited, and visually sophisticated probe into the psychology of young men in the midst of a senseless war whose victims are primarily local villagers. Yet more disturbing than scenes in which Taliban bullets whiz past their cameras is the footage of the young soldiers as each tries, in his own way, to come to terms with putting his life constantly on the line.
100 min / Color, 35 mm
Director Janus Metz
/ Dir. of Photography Lars Skree
/ Music Uno Helmersen, Mug Shot
/ Editor Per K. Kirkegaard
/ Producer Ronnie Fridthjof, Sara Stockmann
/ Production Fridthjof Film
/ Contact Danish Film Institute, TrustNordisk
www: www.armadillothemovie.com
Janus Metz (b. 1974, Denmark), graduated in communication and international development studies from Roskilde University. During a year-long stay in Johannesburg in 2002-03 he worked on the South African series "Soul City.” This experience inspired him to shoot his own documentary debut Township Boys (2006). His 2008 picture Ticket to Paradise (Fra Thy til Thailand), treating the topic of Danish men who marry Thai women, took a Special Mention at CPH:DOX and screened to appreciative audiences at this year’s One World festival.
Danish Film Institute
Gothersgade 55, 1123, Copenhagen
Denmark
Phone: +45 337 434 00
Fax: +45 337 434 01
E-mail: [email protected]
TrustNordisk
Filmbyen 22, 2650, Hvidovre
Denmark
Phone: +45 368 687 88
E-mail: [email protected]
Janus Metz
Film Director, Film Director
Rikke Ennis
Sales Agent
Silje Nikoline Glimsdal
Sales Agent
Per Kirkegaard Pedersen
Film Editor
Rasmus Winther Jensen
Film Crew
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