A Royal Affair (15)

This week sees the arrival of the outstanding A Royal Affair or En Kongelig Affære as it is known in the Danish Language. The film is a well-crafted, fascinating and scandalous historical drama set in 18th Century Denmark, based on true accounts and revolving around a burgeoning romance: a tragic romantic epic interspersed with flashes of inspired humour.

An intriguing and surprising period of Danish history is recounted in a sumptuous costume drama set in the royal court of King Christian VII in the late 1760s, telling an extraordinary true story of political change and royal intrigue.  Young Queen Caroline Mathilde is married off to a simpleton king cruelly uninterested in his bride, preferring the vices of alcohol and prostitutes. The insanity of his behaviour comes to a head with the arrival of German physician Johann Struensee.  Brought in to treat the King, and quickly gaining his trust, he falls in love with the Queen, forming an alliance and placing him in a position to push through reforms that transformed Denmark forever.

The film premiered at Berlin International Film Festival earlier in 2012, and whilst there Mikkel Følsgaard won the Silver Bear Award for Best Actor and the scriptwriters won the award for Best Script. Hardly surprising, as the same team wrote the script for the original Swedish version of the critically acclaimed The Girl With A Dragon Tattoo. The film is also co-produced by Lars Von Trier, who has waved the flag for Danish cinema in recent years. His involvement proves that director Nikolaj Arcel is a director to watch out for.
 

The cinema team saw this film at the ICO Screening Days in London and loved it, despite not usually being fans of period dramas. One of the things that struck us was how beautiful the Danish language is and how nice it is to hear a world cinema film in a language which is less familiar to us.

*Arcel's first-rate Danish costume drama will introduce most moviegoers (including me) to the fascinating tragedy of the love affair in the 1770s between England's Caroline, wife of the problematic Danish King Christian, and the king's German physician, Johann Struensee, both dedicated social progressives.* The Guardian

*A gripping chapter of European history is recounted with elegance, intelligence and clarity in Danish director Nikolaj Arcel’s sumptuous costume drama* The Hollywood Reporter

*Gripping, smart, well-acted - everything you want in a period drama* Little White Lies

Watch the trailer below:

A Royal Affair (15) runs Monday 16th at 7.45pm, Tuesday 17th at 2pm, Wednesday 18th at 7.45pm and Thursday 19th at 7.45pm