YDA Gold Winner on his Darkly Realistic Short

While it didn't get shown on the screen during the actual YDA show - due to its length - Frederik Louis Hviid's film Halvmand is well worth a watch. Not only does it capture emotion that's so raw, it'll have you questioning your trust in others but it's also beautifully shot and acted. The young director scooped up the Gold award for the short film and reveals some of the secrets to creating such a masterpiece.

Tell me about your route into directing.

I interned at Lars von Trier’s company, Zentropa Productions, for four years, where I helmed my first short, Palma, which Zentropa partly financed. Palma is about a young man escaping a life of crime. It toured the festival and award shows but most importantly it got me into the Danish film school, Super16. Besides fiction films, I started to develop my interest in commercials and music videos and began freelancing on small jobs.

How did the idea for Halvmand come about?

A dark (and not so) romantic comedy seemed like a challenge. The actor, Jens Albinus, and I were shooting a music video together and we had great chemistry. During breaks, we talked about the plight of the modern man and how masculinity is perceived in society today. Four months later he contacted me with an idea for a movie about a man who was desperately trying to figure out his place among women. I wanted to make the drama both personal and treacherous. So I decided to involve Albinus’ real wife, Marina Bouras, and adapt his most famous role as Halgrimm Ørn Hallgrimsson from Danish TV show, The Eagle. Balancing a serious relationship with a demanding career can be difficult – but I thought it was something most people can relate to. I took the treatment to screenwriter Morten Pape, who wrote a funny and sensitive script.

There’s such great chemistry and emotion from both your leading characters. What was it like directing them?

I spend a lot of time understanding my characters. I wanted the actors to be in a constant state of confrontation and relentless opposition without them ever directly discussing the problem. Bound by love, they act incredibly selfishly. I discussed the characters in detail with Albinus and Bouras before shooting began. And when the cameras started rolling, I encouraged them to have fun. They’re both incredibly talented actors with a wide dramatic and comedic range, and we felt safe in each other’s company.

The film is emotional but it’s also darkly witty.

Good comedy isn’t about getting the audience to laugh at all costs. When shooting I was very clear with the actors to not act the scenes as a comedy. Instead I focussed on each scene’s drama and relied on the premise of the script to pull the humour through. At a test screening, audience members said they laughed but felt bad about it afterwards. I love that!

What does it mean to you to win a YDA?

I was nominated in 2016 but didn’t win, so to return and win Gold feels amazing.

What can we expect to see from you in future? 

My debut feature, SHORTA, co-written and directed with screenwriter Anders Ølholm, just received funding from the Danish Film Institute, so we are hoping to begin shooting next year.

Representation Worldwide: storyroom.dk