EN FAMILIE (A FAMILY)
Denmark, 2010, 100 minutes, Colour.
Lene Marie Christensen, Jesper Christensen.
Directed by Pernilla Fischer Christenson.
A Danish family. Their ancestor once walked from Germany to Denmark with a sack of flour on his back and started a bakery which flourished and is now, by appointment, supplier of bread products to the royal family.
The focus, however, is on the younger generation. Ditte (Lene Marie Christensen), who is a talented gallery director, is being offered a prestigious art position in New York City. Her partner, Peter, an artist, is supportive of her.
Two crises arise which challenge Ditte. She is pregnant and faces the question of career and abortion vs having a child. Once again, Peter is supportive though he feels Ditte is dominant in her decision-making for them.
Secondly, her father (Jesper Christensen) who has brought the bakery to its present successful status has been cleared of lung cancer after a year of treatment, but soon collapses with brain tumours. Should Ditte stay during her father's illness and death? And, what if his wish is that she should give up her ambitions and take over the management of the bakery? The audience is drawn into the detail of the life of the family: Ditte's sister (who was not asked to manage the bakery), the father's partner with whom he has two young children.
Because of the detail and the emotion, the audience is made to ask itself how they have managed our would manage in such life/death situations. There is a particularly long death and preparation for burial sequence (echoes of Ingmar Bergman) that gives audiences time to feel and think – especially if they can ignore the background song with its appalling lyrics, 'what is the truth behind your innocence', which makes no sense at all in the context and which is repeated and repeated. It does not destroy the film but it is a great pity to spoil the serious presentation of death and the response of the family. The film does end with some moments indicating hope.
1.A Scandinavian family? In the tradition of Scandinavian films and Ingmar Bergman? Contemporary perceptions?
2.Copenhagen, the city settings, realism?
3.The collage of the family history, the home movie style, visualising the grandfather, the next generations? The titles? The history of the grandfather, his trek from Germany, the sack of flour? Rickard and his success, building up the company? His children, his divorce, his companionship with Sanne, the next to children? The genealogy leading to Ditte?
4.The life of the family, its traditions, achievement, expectations, the generations? Following in parents’ footsteps or not? Love and tender relationships, strong stances? Illness and ageing? Controlling or letting go? Standing one’s ground for refusals? Treatment of cancer, handling illness? Death, preparation for burial? The issues of children, abortion, career? Final love and hope? The explicit rejection of church?
5.Ditte as a person, the conversation with Amber in New York, peter and his support, the potential job? Prestige? Love for Peter, pregnancy, their agreement about the abortion, the job, going to New York City? The either/or and Ditte’s strong stances? The decision, the experience of the abortion, her pain? Peter and his puzzle about her decision? Her father, his being healed of lung cancer, the family joy, the response of the family? The plan for the marriage, Ditte being maid of honour? The reception, the family happy? The plans, the tumours in the brain? Ditte’s dilemma, her love for her father? Suggestion that Peter go by himself? The treatment of the father, his wilfulness, at home, Ditte watching, his asking her to manage the company? Her dilemma, discussions, with her sister, with Peter? Her rejecting her father’s offer, his sullen reaction? His going to hospital, taking the taxi home, demanding to be at home? Urging her to speak at his funeral, explaining what he wanted said? Sanne and Rickard at home? Chrisser and her not being asked to do the job? Peter and the possibility of separation? The final meal, the sexual encounter, hope? Portrait of a young woman?
6.Peter, artist, partner for Ditte, a good man, supportive, letting Ditte decide, his studio in Brooklyn, his reaction to the abortion, his lack of contributing to the decision? At the wedding? His fears, being hurt, the influence of Ditte, staying?
7.Rickard and his career, marriage and divorce, healing, the decision to marry Sanne, love for his children? His joy and the proposal, the wedding ceremony? Ditte and her going to New York, his urging her to go? His collapse, hospital, tantrums, taxi home, treatment, his dependence on Sanne? His decision about the firm, asking Ditte, her refusal and his turning his back on her, the company and his expectations, royal prerogatives, his own hands-on work, with Sanne? The hospital, going home, the long death scene? Ditte’s speech for his funeral?
8.Sanne and her companionship, mother of his children, a good baker, a year helping him in his illness, the proposal, the wedding ceremony, his collapse, her inability to look after him? Her grief? Preparing the body for burial?
9.Chrisser, her relationship with her father, with Ditte, her commenting that she had not been asked to run the firm?
10.The young children, the boy, his questions? The girl and her seeming offhandedness? Present at their father’s death?
11.The dying, everybody present?
12.The preparation of the body for burial, the ritual and its importance? The place of the song and the lyrics, ‘the truth behind the innocence’? Inappropriate?
13.A portrait of a family? Audiences identifying with it – or not?
