How do we Get Rid of the Others?
Well, today I’m taking another detour again. I hope you don’t mind. I just received an invitation to a premiere of a soon to be released Danish film called “Hvordan vi Slipper af med de andre”, which translated to English means “How to Get Rid of the Others”. Produced by Zentropa, the film is directed by award winning Director Anders Rønnow Karlunds and it is his fourth feature film.
I was lucky to help out on this film one chilly November evening. Maybe lucky isn’t the appropriate word, because shortly after arrival to the set, I was told to change into shorts and a t-shirt and get the heck outside into the unwelcoming arms of bone chilling zero degree weather! It was cold but they gave us blankets to keep warm in between takes and in retrospect, it was actually quite a hoot.
Now back to the point. ”How to Get Rid of the others” is a Danish political satire. The theme of the film revolves around how we treat the so called “deadbeats” or “losers” if you will, of our society. Invalids, pensionists etc. are all lumped into this category in the film.
In the movie, the government has introduced what they call “Copenhagen Criterias”, which measures how much each citizen has contributed to society as opposed to what they have received.
26% of the society have been pointed out as useless and a few who are on the borderline, wait for the final interview that decides whether they should be eliminated or not. It is in a waiting room that we meet John, Gerda, Nancy, China og Melanie, nervously awaiting their fate. If it is decided that they have contributed enough to society they could be saved.
In a humorous way, the film attempts to help us understand which factors allow us to place people in groups and stereotypes. The lead rolls are played by some of Denmark’s most talented and well known actors such as Søren Pilmark, Søren Fauli and Louise Mieritz. I can't wait to see it.
“How to Get Rid of the Others” premieres in theatres around Denmark the 26th of January, 2007.
