An Oscar-winning drama set against a backdrop of reflections on alcohol: this is the film that absolutely must not be missed on television this Friday, May 19.
After The Hunt and Far From the Madding Crowd, Thomas Vinterberg caused a stir with his latest film, Drunk. This Danish-Swedish-Dutch feature film, released in 2020, had the honors of the Cannes Film Festival 2020 label, even if it could not compete due to the pandemic linked to the coronavirus. Never mind, the film carried by Mads Mikkelsen then had a nice run: it won the César for Best Foreign Film in 2021 and, the same year, the Oscar for Best International Film.
Drunk tells the story of four high school teachers who embark on a crazy challenge: to test the theory of a Norwegian teacher who claims that by maintaining a constant level of alcohol, it is possible to noticeably improve their personal lives and professional. But the four friends quickly lose control and their lives begin to degenerate… .
But filming Drunk wasn’t painless, far from it. Thomas Vinterberg decided to take an interest in Danish youth drinking culture when he embarked on writing the film, drawing inspiration primarily from the story of his 19-year-old daughter, Ida. The latter was also to play in the film, playing the daughter of Mads Mikkelsen himself. But the young woman died in a car accident four days after the start of filming, in May 2019. The director will then decide to change the moral of the film, which, if he denounces the consequences of the abuse of alcohol, nevertheless celebrates the drunkenness of youth and its carelessness in a superb final scene.
The director of Drunk decided to dedicate his film to his daughter. By receiving the Oscar for best foreign film in 2021, two years after his death, he did not fail to pay him a vibrant and moving tribute: “Ida, it’s a real miracle what is happening , and you’re partly responsible for that. This Oscar is for you.” Drunk by Thomas Vinterberg with Madds Mikkelsen is to be seen on television this Friday, May 19, 2023 on France 5 from 9 p.m. It is also available to stream on Netflix.