Tree of Knowledge (film)

Tree of Knowledge

Front cover of the Danish DVD for
Tree of Knowledge
Directed by Nils Malmros
Produced by Per Holst
Written by Nils Malmros
Frederick Cryer
Starring Eva Gram Schjoldager
Jan Johansen
Line Arlien-Søborg
Music by Per Hillers Danseorkester
Saratoga Jazzband
Cinematography Jan Weincke
Editing by Merete Brusendorff
Janus Billeskov Jensen
Distributed by Kærne Film
Release date(s) November 13, 1981
Running time 110 min.
Country Denmark
Language Danish

Tree of Knowledge (Danish: Kundskabens træ) is a 1981 Danish coming-of-age drama directed by Nils Malmros. The film details the lives of 17 teenage schoolmates in 1950's Denmark. Shooting on location at the high school which he had attended, Malmros took two years to film the action, so the cast members reflected the real life physical and emotional development of their characters.[1] Film Critic Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times wrote "The Tree of Knowledge is the truest and most moving film I have ever seen about the experience of puberty... a creative act of memory about exactly what it was like to be 13 in 1953."[2] Despite critical praise, Tree of Knowledge received only two awards: the Danish Film Critics Bodil Award for Jan Weincke's cinematography and the Audience Award at the Lübeck Nordic Film Festival. Tree of Knowledge is one of the top 100 Danish films listed by the Danish Film Institute and is one of ten films listed in the cultural canon of Denmark by the Danish Ministry of Culture.[3] The film was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 1982 Cannes Film Festival.[4]

Cast

Actor Role
Eva Gram Schjoldager Elin
Jan Johansen Niels-Ole
Line Arlien-Søborg Anne-Mette
Marian Wendelbo Elisabeth
Gitte Iben Andersen Lene
Brian Theibel Willy Bonde
Erno Müller Class Teacher
Merete Volstedlund Anne-Mettes Mother
Karin Flensborg Elin's Mother
Knud Andreasen Elin's Father
Lone Elliot Maj-Britt
Astrid Holm Nielsen Ina
Bo von der Lippe Jørn
Morten Nautrup Flemming
Martin Lysholm Jepsen Helge
Anders Ørgård Gert
Dan Rørmand Brøgger Torkild
Lars Spang Kjeldsen Søren Roland
Nikolaj Flensborg Kaj
Hanne Sørensen Mona
Anne-Mette Brinch Andersen Gås
Anne-Mette Kjøller Warlo Joan
Malene Darre Loppe
Lars Hjort Frederiksen Carsten
Karen Møller Mrs. Andreasen
Jørgen Nygaard Pastor
Arne Ringgaard Dance Teacher
Thorkild Tromholt Pianist
Rikke Malmros Gym Teacher
Uffe Bak Gym Teacher
Norma Nissen Mrs Scheel
Svend Schmidt-Nielsen Park Ranger
Per Cortes Music Teacher
Birgit Rafman
Margit Due
Christian Svendsen
Jeanette Hede
Jørg Bjerre Andersen

References

External links