Cannes: Young Danish Collective Reboots Dogma for New Generation

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Thirty years later, the cinematic realm of art films received a significant boost from Lars von Trier and Thomas Vinterberg’s Dogma 95 (or Dogme 95) movement. Now, a fresh wave of Nordic filmmakers are carrying on this legacy.

Four emerging Danish film directors – May el-Toukhy (“Queen of Hearts”), Milad Alami (“Opponent”), Annika Berg (“Team Hurricane”), Isabella Eklöf (“Kalak”), and Jesper Just (“Vanishing Woman”) – are creating Dogma 25, a project that aims to protect artistic authenticity by combating the pressures of contemporary film industry through a manifesto-based approach.

In a statement issued at Cannes over the weekend, the group announced that Dogma 25 is both a rescue operation and a cultural revolution. They are united in their stance to safeguard creative liberty as a bulwark against emptiness and helplessness.

These five filmmakers are supported by some of Denmark’s leading production companies in their upcoming project. The initiative was spearheaded by director, el-Toukhy, who approached Zentropa last year. Zentropa producers Louise Vesth (known for Melancholia and Nymphomaniac) and Sisse Graum Jørgensen (famous for The Hunt and Another Round) will manage the distribution, with assistance from the Danish Film Institute, DR (Danish Broadcasting Corporation), Nordisk Film Distribution, and international sales agent TrustNordisk. These directors will receive complete financing (up to 10 million Danish Krone, or $1.45 million) for their first films, ensuring a theatrical release in Denmark. TrustNordisk will handle worldwide sales for all Dogma 25 projects.

Back in 1995, we crafted our films with an assumption of peace, sparking a rebellion against convention. Now, in 2025, fresh dogmas are emerging amidst turmoil and uncertainty. We extend our best wishes for your journey to reclaim Danish cinema.

Together, Lars von Trier, Thomas Vinterberg, Kristian Levring, and Søren Kragh-Jacobsen established the Dogme 95 Collective, adhering to a set of “purity pledges” that mandated filmmakers to shoot with handheld cameras and natural lighting. They were also forbidden from incorporating pre-existing music or following conventional cinematic genres in their work.

Movies bearing the Dogme label encompassed several notable films, such as Thomas Vinterberg’s Palme d’Or winner “The Celebration” (1998), Lars von Trier’s “The Idiots” (1999), Søren Kragh-Jacobsen’s “Mifune” (1999), and Nicolas Winding Refn’s “The King is Alive” (2000). The movement expanded globally, with contributions like Jean-Marc Barr’s “Lovers” (1999) from France and Harmony Korine’s “Julien Donkey-Boy” (1999) from the United States. This movement played a significant role in rejuvenating independent cinema during the late ’90s.

Similar to its 1995 counterpart, Dogma 25 is based on a rigid oath of celibacy and ten principles that impose strict creative and production guidelines. Unlike Dogma 95, which was predominantly concerned with aesthetics, serving as a critique against the self-indulgence of film directors and overly polished art house films (mostly from France), Dogma 25 primarily targets the methods of filmmaking, emphasizing the processes involved in production rather than the visual outcome.

As a gamer diving into my own creative project, I’ve adopted ten principles that fuel my artistic journey:

1. I pen down my ideas in my unique voice to nurture my creative instincts.
2. At least half of every scene I create is dialogue-free, allowing the visual narrative to shine.
3. I disconnect from the digital world during the creative process to foster a stronger bond with reality.
4. Funding can only come without strings attached, preserving my artistic freedom.
5. A minimal crew of ten or fewer is all that’s needed behind the camera, keeping things intimate and focused.
6. I film in authentic locations, avoiding any cosmetic changes to faces or bodies unless essential for the storyline.
7. All materials used – sets, props, costumes – are either reused or found, rejecting consumerism and waste.
8. I strive to complete my productions within a year, maintaining urgency and creative flow throughout the process.
9. Above all, I approach each project as if it were my last, pouring every ounce of passion into every frame.
10. These principles guide me in my quest to create something truly unique and meaningful, leaving a lasting impact on those who experience it.

Amidst a surge of standardized films created by algorithms and artificial aesthetics, our goal is to champion originality, uniqueness, and the authentic human touch. We aim to resist the tide that’s trying to transform cinema into a mass-produced commodity.

Henriette Marienlund, head of drama at the DR, stated, “We understand the importance of exploring fresh paths to nurture talent and amplify new voices within Danish cinema. As we were part of Dogma 95, it’s only natural that we embark on this journey again in 2025.

Kenneth Wiberg, Senior Vice President at Nordisk Film Distribution, emphasized the timeliness of their approach: “Dogma has consistently been about telling pertinent tales, and in today’s market, a compelling narrative is more crucial than ever.

Susan Wendt, the managing director at TrustNordisk, described the launch as an ideal method to mark the 30th anniversary of Dogma 95, expressing her eagerness to share the upcoming collection of films with worldwide viewers.

Production on the initial set of Dogma 25 movies is slated for later in the current year. A worldwide release and festival debuts are projected for the year 2026.

You can read the full Dogma 25 manifesto and the 10 vows of chastity below.

Manifesto: The DOGMA 25 Collective was established by a group of filmmakers in Copenhagen during the year 2025. Our main goal is to safeguard the uniqueness of cinema and foster an environment where films can be made with their own distinct identity.

Over time, the job of a film director has been narrowed down to that of a project manager, turning movies into commodities and viewers into consumers. Creative experimentation is often hindered by the fear of taking risks, which stifles artistic growth and mutes distinctive voices. If films are only produced and not given room to grow naturally, there’s a risk they will lose their artistic significance, becoming mere functional tools that lack originality and relevance.

In a time when generic movies, created by formulas and artificial aesthetics, are becoming popular, our goal is to advocate for imperfect, unique, and human-inspired creations. We celebrate the bold and unforeseen, and strive to resist the trends that aim to turn cinematic art into a mass-produced commodity.

Reducing production size enables each team member to have a deep, personal connection with the movie and its meaning. This fosters trust among us and instills a strong sense of shared accountability for the film and one another. It also preserves the agility that’s essential in a creative process, making it more adaptive and intuitive rather than just managerial.

We honor DOGMA 95, the filmmakers who paved the way for us in the past, and those who will follow in our footsteps in the future. We unite to safeguard creative liberty as a barrier against emptiness and impotence. DOGMA 25 is both a rescue operation and a cultural revolution.

In our quest to safeguard and cherish what truly matters, we now pledge allegiance to a resolute and indomitable code of conduct – The Pledge of Chastity.

I PLEDGE TO OBEY THESE RULES, WHICH ARE ESTABLISHED AND APPROVED BY DOCTRINE 25: I promise to adhere to this established and confirmed set of rules by Doctrine 25.

For the script to be authentic, it should be personally penned by the director himself.To foster a sense of creative intuition, we require the script to be written by hand directly from the mind of the director onto the page.

3. In our filmmaking style, at least half the movie will be told through visuals instead of words, reflecting our belief in communicating stories visually and trusting our viewers’ understanding.

3. In creating our films, we opt for authentic human interactions over digitally controlled environments.

5. We prefer funding that doesn’t come with restrictions on our creative choices to maintain control over our project’s content.

5. A maximum of ten individuals should be present off-camera.We pledge to work together closely, fostering trust and solidifying our common goals.

7. As a gamer, I find it immersive and authentic when game worlds are set in locations that truly reflect their narratives. Faking settings can make the whole experience feel contrived and unrealistic.

8. In our work, we aim to keep things genuine by refraining from applying makeup or altering physical appearances unless necessary for the storyline. We embrace and showcase the natural beauty of the human form in its entirety, flaws and all.

9. All aspects of our film’s creation will come from pre-existing resources, eschewing the wasteful and unrealistic practices associated with consumerism.

The movie should not take longer than a year for production.We avoid unnecessary delays that might hinder our creative progress.

10. Create the film as if it were your last.

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2025-05-17 18:25