23/06/2010

Janus Metz’s gripping documentary Armadillo [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Janus Metz, director of Arm…
film profile], winner of a Grand Prix in Critics’ Week at Cannes this year, has now exceeded 80,000 admissions in Denmark in its fifth week on release by Nordisk Film Distribution, making it the second most successful Danish documentary ever.

The top domestic documentary at the local box office remains Anders Østergaard’s Gasolin (222,723 admissions), an intimate portrait of Denmark's most influential rock band Gasolin.

Since its successful launch at Cannes, Armadillo has grabbed media and public attention in Denmark. The film about the conflict in Afghanistan shown from the frontlines of a Danish military base has been the subject of an official inquiry from the Danish army and Danish politicians have used the film to defend their views: anti-war for the Liberal left wing party and pro-war for the Conservatives.

“The film has fantastic word of mouth,” noted producer Ronnie Fridthjof. “The fact that so many people have seen the film and are part of the debate is a success not only for the film but for Denmark as a nation.” For Jan Lehmann, head of Nordisk Film Distribution in Denmark, the film will most likely to sell around 100,000 admissions at home.

Armadillo was produced by Fridthjof Film in co-production with Auto Images AB in Sweden. It will be released by Arthaus Distribution in Norway in late August. TrustNordisk handles world sales.