A City Called Copenhagen (Danish: En by ved navn København) is a 1960 Danish short documentary film directed by Jørgen Roos. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Short.[1] The film received positive reception.
| A City Called Copenhagen | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Jørgen Roos |
| Written by | Elsa Gress Roger Maridia Jørgen Roos Ole Roos |
| Narrated by | Osvald Helmuth |
| Cinematography | Jørgen Roos |
Release date |
|
| Country | Denmark |
| Language | Danish |
Synopsis
editThe film documents Copenhagen which includes its buildings, sights, and citizens.
Production
editIt took a long time to commission and fund the film, which is referenced in the film and is "an example of its use of humour". The film was produced using Eastmancolor film stock.[2] The group that commissioned the production disliked the content which resulted in it not being released until two years later, but it received positive reception upon release.[3] The film's success gave Roos more opportunities to produce films within more countries.[3] Similar to the director's next two films, A City Called Copenhagen has to do with the lives of citizens and walking throughout the city.[4] The film's producers are the National Film Board (Statens Filmcentral), with sponsorships by the City Council of Copenhagen along with the Port of Copenhagen Authority. It was released by Brandon Films and Minerva Films in colour.[5] Clive Bayliss is the English narrator and Bill Caldwell is the American narrator.[6]
Reception
editThe Santa Ynez Valley News said that the film "is a self ironic masterpiece; a genuine and informal picture of the Danish capital with emphasis on the picturesque features of everyday life in the street, at the waterfront and in merry Tivoli, the gayest spot in Europe."[7]
It gained second place at the Cannes Film Festival in 1960.[3] In 1961, the film was nominated for an Academy Award for "Distinctive achievement in documentary production (short subjects)".[8]
References
edit- ^ "The 33rd Academy Awards (1961) Nominees and Winners". oscars.org. Retrieved 28 February 2021.
- ^ Thompson, C. Claire (2018). Symphony of a Short Film: A City Called Copenhagen. University Press Scholarship Online. doi:10.3366/edinburgh/9781474424134.001.0001. ISBN 9781474424134. Retrieved 28 February 2021.
- ^ a b c Ian Aitken (18 October 2013). Encyclopedia of the Documentary Film 3-Volume Set. Routledge. p. 780. ISBN 978-1-135-20620-8.
- ^ Thomson, C. (September 2018). "Walking in Copenhagen, Hamburg, Oslo: Planned and Lived Space in Jørgen Roos' Early-60s City Symphonies". ResearchGate. Retrieved 28 February 2021.
- ^ Allen, Irving Lewis. "An Annotated and Classified List of 16mm Films on Urban Studies: New Towns, Urban Problems, City and Regional Planning" (PDF). Institute of Education Sciences. Council of Planning Librarians. p. 19. Retrieved 28 February 2021.
- ^ "A City Called Copenhagen". San Francisco International Film Festival. Retrieved 28 February 2021.
- ^ "Brotherhood Yule Party, Film Festival Wednesday". Santa Ynez Valley News. Solvang, California. 6 December 1963. Retrieved 28 February 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Academy Checklist". The La Crosse Tribune. La Crosse, Wisconsin. 15 April 1961. Retrieved 28 February 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
External links
edit- A City Called Copenhagen at IMDb
- Watch En by ved navn København at the Danish Film Institute