Original Title
Du som er i himlen
Genre
Drama
Production Year
2021
Country of Origin
Denmark
Language Spoken
Danish
Length
86 mins
Festivals
TIFF (World premiere)
San Sebastian
BFI London IF
Busan IFF
Hamburg FF
Director
Tea Lindeburg
Scriptwriter
Tea Lindeburg
Cast
Flora Ofelia Hofmann Lindahl, Ida Cæcilie Rasmussen, Kirsten Olesen, Thure Lindhardt
Production Company
MOTOR
Producers
Lise Orheim Stender
Jesper Morthorst
One day at the end of the 1800s, 14-year-old Lise’s life is changed forever. She is the eldest of her siblings, the first in her family to go to school and full of hope and confidence in life. But when her mother goes into labour, it quickly appears that something is wrong. As night falls and the labour progresses, Lise begins to understand that a day that began in childhood might end with her becoming the woman of the house.
producer
Jesper Morthorst graduated as a producer from the Super16 Film School in 2006 and holds a BA in Film and Media Studies from the University of Copenhagen. Morthorst is CEO and producer at MOTOR, a film and TV production company that he and acclaimed scriptwriter Christian Torpe founded in January 2018. Morthorst has previously worked for SF Studios Production (2011-2017), Alphaville Pictures Copenhagen (2009-2012) and Nimbus Film (2003-2008). He has produced a great number of feature films, TV series, shorts, and documentaries including Gudmundur Gudmundsson’s Venice winner Heartstone, The Pact and Silent Heart by two times Golden Palm and Oscar winning director Bille August. Morthorst has also produced successful and acclaimed TV series, counting Rita, Norskov and Deliver Us.
producer
Lise Orheim Stender holds a BA in Danish and Film and Media Studies from The University of Copenhagen. She is currently working at the independent production company MOTOR in Copenhagen as a producer. In 2016 she produced her first feature film Heartstone directed by Gudmundur Arnar Gudmundsson in collaboration with Icelandic Join Motion Pictures. Heartstone opened at Venice International Film Festival and Toronto Int. Film Festival. Previously, Stender worked at SF Studios Production (2012-1018) and Alphaville Pictures Copenhagen (2009- 2012). Along the way, she has produced short films directed by young talents as well as worked as an Assistant Producer, Line Producer and Postproduction Coordinator with esteemed directors such as Bille August, Christoffer Boe, Jørgen Leth, Birgitte Stærmose, Anna Kazejak among others.
Tea Lindeburg is educated from New York University (2000) and Super16 (2006). She has written the TV-series Equinox for Netflix, as well as the podcast Equinox 1985 for DR, which was nominated for the Prix Italia 2017. Besides this she has directed a number of children’s- and teenage TV-series for DR and TV 2 and also short films. From 1999-2007 she organized the film festival Cosmic Zoom and from 2009-2010 she worked with the Danish National Broadcasting Company as the host for DR2 Premiere. As In Heaven will be Lindeburg’s feature debut.
“I first read Marie Bregendahl’s novel A Night of Death (1912) a few weeks after my son was born nine years ago and it has stuck with me ever since. It is a small story, set in a simple setting, but to me so large in its theme and relevance. As in Heaven is a coming-of-age story about faith, set in a time when turning to God was the only hope and visions and prophetic dreams were to be taken seriously. It is a story about a young girl, Lise, who in the morning starts out with hope and bright future prospects but over the night loses everything and is condemned to take over the role of the mother. In one night, Lise loses her childhood, her future and her faith in hope and God.”
Lise
Flora Ofelia Hofmann Lindahl is a danish singer and actress, who won the danish children’s Eurovision. She got her acting break in Land of Glass and has lately been praised for her role in Cry Wolf, which landed her a Danish Academy Award for Best Actress in a TV-series as the youngest recipient ever at the age of 15.
Mother Anna
Ida Cæcilie Rasmussen is primarily known as a fearless and acclaimed stage actress and opera singer, with a slew of bold performances at the Royal National Theatre, where she was part of the regular ensemble for five years. She has also done monologue performance art at the National Gallery of Denmark. As in Heaven is her first big film role.
Wise Sine
Kirsten Olesen got her national break through in the iconic Danish tv-series Matador in 1978 and has since then been a well known and loved actress in the Danish film, television and theatre business, especially after being part of Royal Danish Theatre ensample for more than 25 years.
Father Anders
Thure Lindhardt is one of Denmark´s most acclaimed and well-known actors. During the last 25 years, Lindhardt has had an immense career in Denmark, and has also managed to establish himself abroad with big roles in international productions such as The Bridge Keep the Lights on, Angels & Demons, The Last Kingdom, Fast & Furious and 3096 Days. He is also an established stage actor who has won several awards throughout the years.
Watch The Danish Film Institute’s interview with director Tea Lindeburg and hear more about her thoughts and the processes behind the film.
“An ambitious calling card, and technically accomplished in what it sets out to do”
– Screen Daily
“As In Heaven Beautifully Explores the Madness of Religious Superstition”
– The Film Stage
“As in Heaven is compelling, haunting, and hard to shake from your mind”
– The Jam Report
“A Gripping Meditation on the Fragility of Life”
– Exclaim
“What we are shown is magical and beautiful”
– These Girls on Film
