Jørgen Leth

Infobox Actor
name = Jørgen Leth

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caption = Jørgen Leth at the 43rd Karlovy Vary International Film Festival
birthname =
birthdate = Birth date and age|1937|6|14|mf=y
birthplace = Århus, Denmark
deathdate =
deathplace =
othername =
occupation = Director
Author
yearsactive = 1962–present
spouse =
domesticpartner =
website =

Jørgen Leth is a Danish poet and film director who is considered a leading figure in the development of experimental documentary film making. [Hjort, Mette & Ib Bondebjerg "The Danish Directors", Intellect Books, (2001) 228pg, p58, ISBN 1841508411] Most notable are Leth's detailed, epic documentaries such as 1977's "A Sunday in Hell" and 1967's "The Perfect Human". Leth frequently works as a sports commentator for Danish television and owns the film production company, Sunset Productions.

Biography

Jørgen Leth was born June 14 1937 in Århus, Denmark. Leth studied literature and anthropology in Aarhus and Copenhagen, and he was a cultural critic (jazz, theater, film) for leading Danish newspapers from 1959 to 1968. He travelled in Africa (1961), South America and India (1966) and Southeast Asia (1970-71). His first book was published in 1962 and he has written ten volumes of poetry and four non-fiction books. Leth made his first film in 1963, and has since made forty films, many distributed worldwide. His most acclaimed work is the 1967 short film "The Perfect Human", which was recently featured in the 2003 film "The Five Obstructions" by Lars von Trier. Leth work with sports documentaries is noted for bringing an epic, almost mythic, proportion to the field, as seen in "Stars and Watercarriers" ("Stjernerne og Vandbærerne", 1973) and "A Sunday in Hell" ("En forårsdag i helvede, 1977). [Harv|Hjort|2001|p=58]

He was a creative consultant for the Danish Film Institute (1971-73, 1975-77) as well as chairman of the board of the Danish Film Institute (1977-82). He has been a professor at the Danish National Film School in Copenhagen, at the State Studiocenter in Oslo and he has lectured at UCLA, Berkeley, Harvard and other American universities.

Leth appeared on the presentation of the Tour de France on Danish TV 2 from 1988 through 2005, as the expert commentator in a partnership with journalist Jørn Mader. In 1999, Leth was appointed Denmark's honorary consul to Haiti.

Leth attracted controversy in Denmark after the publication of his autobiography "Det uperfekte menneske" ("The Imperfect Person"). The autobiography included a graphic account of sexual relations with the 17-year-old daughter of his cook in Haiti. [DR, [http://www.dr.dk/Nyheder/Indland/2005/10/07/040513.htm "Jørgen Leth risikerer fængsel i Haiti for sex med mindreårige"] Danmark Radio Nyheder, Oct. 7 2005] This created a media storm in Denmark. [Schou, Ann-Jette, [http://www.dr.dk/P1/p1paaentime/2007/Uge33/20070815151516.htm "Jørgen Leth - en provo?"] , Danmark Radio Nyheder, Aug 17, 2007] In part, because he planned a film titled "Det Erotiske Menneske" ("The Erotic Human"). The movie was to be made with funds from the Danish Film Institute, the Danish government's support for the film industry. This upset several groups in Danish society and Leth eventually abandoned his plans. [DR, [http://www.dr.dk/Nyheder/Kultur/2005/10/07/153841.htm "Jørgen Leth trækker sig fra alle poster"] , Danmark Radio Nyheder, Oct. 7 2005] In October 2007, due to the controversy, Leth resigned his post as Haitian consul from Denmark and was released from his commentator's job with TV2. [Harv|Schou|2007] Leth has enjoyed retrospective presentations at the National Film Theatre,London 1989; in Rouen, France, 1990; at the American Film Institute, Washington D.C., 1992; in Mumbai, India, 1996; and in New York City,2002; in Sao Paulo, 2003; in Toronto, 2004; in Florence, 2005 and in Rome, 2006.

Leth has lived in Jacmel, Haiti since 1991.

Awards

Leth has among others received the following awards:
*1971 the "Oberhausen Hauptpreis",
*1972 the Thomas Mann Award,
*1983 the Danish Academy’s Special Prize,
*1992 the Paul Hammerich Award,
*1995 the Drachmann Award for literary oeuvre,
*1996 the Danish Film Academy’s Robert Award,
*1997 "Prix de France" for cultural reporting from France,
*1999 the State Art Foundation’s Special Award,
*2000 the Danish Film Academy’s Robert Award,
*2004 Grand Prix for Best Feature Film at the Odense International Film Festival,
*Recipient of a life-long grant from the Danish State for his achievements in film-making.

Bibliography

Two biographies about Leth have been published in Denmark.

*"The Picture Is Showing", poems (2000)
*"Stories from Haiti" (2000)
*"Collected Poems" (2002)
*"The Imperfect Human, Scenes from My Life", memoir (2005)
*"It Doesn't Matter", poems (2006).Kanal, poems debut

Filmography

Tómas Gislason's award-winning documentary-portrait of Leth, "Heart and Soul", was released in 1995.

*"Stopforbud", 1963, 14 min;
*"Look Forward to a Bright Future", 1965, 6 min;
*"The Perfect Human", 1967, 13 min;
*"Near Heaven, Near Earth", 1968, 26 min;
*"Ophelia’s Flowers", 1969, 7 min;
*"Motion Picture", 1970, 24 min;
*"The Search", 1970, 35 min;
*"The Deergarden", the Romantic Forest, 1970, 42 min;
*"Chinese Table-tennis", 1970, 12 min;
*"Life in Denmark", 1971, 37 min;
*"Stars and Watercarriers", 1973, 91 min;
*"Klaus Rifbjerg", 1974, 35 min;
*"Good and Evil", 1974, 81 min;
*"A Sunday in Hell", 1977, 110 min;
*"Peter Martins - A Dancer", 1978, 54 min;
*"Kalule", 1979, 45 min;
*"Dancing Bournonville", 1979, 52 min;
*"66 Scenes from America", 1981, 42 min;
*"Step on Silence", 1981, 58 min;
*"Pelota", 1983, 47 min;
*"Haiti Express", 1983, 93 min;
*"Moments of Play", 1986, 82 min;
*"Notebook from China", 1986, 79 min;
*"Notes on Love", 1989, 90 min;
*"Danish Literature", 1989, 51 min;
*"Traberg", 1992, 93 min;
*"Michael Laudrup - A Football Player", 1993, 58 min;
*"Haiti, Untitled" 1996, 85 min;
*"I'm Alive - Soren Ulrik Thomsen, Poet", 1999, 40 min;
*"Dreamers", 2002, 58 min.
*"New Scenes from America", 2002, 35 min.
*"The Five Obstructions" (with Lars von Trier), 2003, 80 min;
*"Aarhus" (2005), 35 min.

Discography

*"Han er nu malet blå", 2004;

References

External links

*
* [http://www.dfi.dk/tidsskriftetfilm/32/Simplify.htm Interview from Danish Film Institute:Tidsskriftet FILM]
* [http://video.aol.com/video-detail/the-perfect-human/2348749737 The Perfect Human]