Danish film ‘A War’ on final shortlist for Oscar nomination

Tobias Lindholm’s work is one of the nine remaining films in the running for Best Foreign Language Film

Tobias Lindholm’s film ‘Krigen’ (‘A War’) is one of the nine films to have made it onto the shortlist for the Oscar category of Best Foreign Language Film for 2015.

READ MORE: ‘A War’ has won the battle, but can it win the … Oscar

Since its release in September, the film, which tells the story of a company commander stationed in Afghanistan and his family back in Denmark, has been received positively during its tour of international film festivals and in international media.

Not a favourite
Henrik Bo Nielsen, the head of the Danish Film Institute, commended Lindholm and the others involved in getting the film this far.

“To have to choose nine films from a field of 80 strong titles from the whole world has surely not been an easy job for the Academy. Tobias Lindholm and the whole of Nordisk Film should be incredibly proud that ‘Krigen’ managed to slip through that pinhole,” he said.

“It’s not least a tribute to Lindholm’s sure hands as a director and to the actors’ strong performances. Together they carry the story of the war’s dilemmas and its human cost surely and beautifully home.”

Danish films have picked up the award three times in the past – most recently Susanne Bier’s ‘Hævnen’ (‘In a Better World’) for 2010.

The inclusion of ‘Krigen’ on the shortlist continues an incredible run for Denmark, which has now made the final nine five of the last six years.

Bookmakers don’t favour the film to win this time though. The Hungarian film ‘Son of Saul’ is a strong favourite, while ‘Krigen’ is a 20/1 rank outsider.

The five nominations will be announced on January 14 and they will go on to battle for the golden statuette on February 28.




Connect Club is your gateway to a vibrant programme of events and an international community in Denmark.


  • Long-term unemployment is double for non-Western immigrants

    Long-term unemployment is double for non-Western immigrants

    An analysis from the Labour Movement’s Business Council shows that the rate in long-term unemployment for non-Western immigrants is 1.8 times higher than for Danes. In other words, a chronic unemployment situation is way more probable for non-Western internationals.

  • Minister proposes major changes to rules for international students in Denmark

    Minister proposes major changes to rules for international students in Denmark

    The increasing number of Nepalese students coming to Denmark and working in various industries, along with their spouses, is raising concerns within government ranks. Immigration and Integration Minister Kaare Dybvad Bek has announced his intention to introduce stricter rules for everyone.

  • Denmark to invest heavily in vocational education

    Denmark to invest heavily in vocational education

    The Danish government will allocate one billion DKK annually from 2030 to improve vocational education. The initiative aims to lower dropout rates, enhance training quality, and address labor shortages by increasing financial support for schools, teacher training, and international study opportunities.