International film about Oil for Food scandal to shoot in Copenhagen

Danish director Per Fly and British actors Ben Kingsley and Theo James are on board

A new international film concerning the Oil for Food Program scandal at the United Nations will film a number of scenes in Copenhagen in the near future.

The film, ‘Backstabbing for Beginners’, is a thriller about a young program co-ordinator at the UN who stumbles upon a conspiracy involving Iraq’s oil reserves, and so far British actors Ben Kingsley (‘Ghandi’) and Theo James (‘Divergent’) have signed up for key roles.

Danish director Per Fly has been hired to helm the film, which will be his first international project following domestic success with ‘Drabet’ and ‘Arven’, and he has indicated the production will be in Copenhagen in April to film some of the scenes.

“It’s important for me that we come to Copenhagen and shoot parts of the film,” Fly said in a press release.

“Despite the fact that the actors speak English and ‘Backstabbing for Beginners’ is an international story about corruption, it’s important for me that a Danish audience can relate to the film and want to see it.”

READ MORE: Danish director to recreate Hollywood classic

Tale of UN corruption
Fly is currently working as the conceptual director of DR’s new series ‘Bedrag’ (‘Deceived’) regarding the world of economic crime, and he’s apparently acquired a taste for corruption.

‘Backstabbing for Beginners’ is based on the book of the same name written by Danish author Michael Soussan regarding his personal experiences while working for the UN during the Oil for Food Scandal in the early 2000s.

The Copenhagen Film Fund has invested 3 million kroner into the film, which has a total budget of 58 million kroner.




  • For the first time, Danish won’t be used in Folketing parliamentary work

    For the first time, Danish won’t be used in Folketing parliamentary work

    Aki-Matilda Høegh-Dam, a member of the Greenlandic party Siumut and a member of Parliament, said that she would use only her mother tongue during the Folketing’s question time sessions. As a result, Parliament decided to trial simultaneous interpretation.

  • An international living in Denmark is the world’s best teacher

    An international living in Denmark is the world’s best teacher

    The British Peter Tunna, an international working as a teacher at the North Zealand International School, won the ICA Teacher Awards. He is the first person from Denmark to achieve this. “You need to make an effort to integrate into Danish society and culture—you can’t just expect it to come to you or happen automatically,” he says.

  • How is Denmark addressing violence against women

    How is Denmark addressing violence against women

    According to a report from the Ministry of Justice, partner killing is the second most common type of murder, and women are victims in 83% of the cases, all of them killed by men. Regarding the gender gap, women earn, on average, 12.4% less than men. While Denmark is one of the safest places for women in the world, the issues are far from being solved.

  • Danish climate minister disappointed with new global climate agreement

    Danish climate minister disappointed with new global climate agreement

    The UN climate summit COP29 ended with a new target for climate financing. However, the world’s countries could not agree on an agreement on fossil fuels. Denmark’s climate minister and NGOs criticize the outcome of the climate summit

  • The intuition trap: leading Danes in cross-cultural teams

    The intuition trap: leading Danes in cross-cultural teams

    Signe Biering, an executive coach trained in psychology with a background in diplomacy, explains how over-reliance on intuition in decision-making can hinder cross-cultural collaboration. She highlights Denmark’s cultural tendency to trust gut feelings and authenticity but warns of its risks in diverse teams. Biering advocates for leaders to challenge instincts, embrace differences, and balance intuition with analytical thinking to foster trust, collaboration, and growth.

  • Swedish households receiving brochure on crisis and war preparedness these weeks

    Swedish households receiving brochure on crisis and war preparedness these weeks

    The brochure offers advice on how to prepare for crises or war and respond to serious incidents, and its aim is to “remind people of the importance of considering and strengthening their preparedness.”


  • The intuition trap: leading Danes in cross-cultural teams

    The intuition trap: leading Danes in cross-cultural teams

    Signe Biering, an executive coach trained in psychology with a background in diplomacy, explains how over-reliance on intuition in decision-making can hinder cross-cultural collaboration. She highlights Denmark’s cultural tendency to trust gut feelings and authenticity but warns of its risks in diverse teams. Biering advocates for leaders to challenge instincts, embrace differences, and balance intuition with analytical thinking to foster trust, collaboration, and growth.

  • “Talents, start using AI tools now,” says Siri and Change.org founder

    “Talents, start using AI tools now,” says Siri and Change.org founder

    In an exclusive interview with The Copenhagen Post, the founder of Siri and Change.org, and currently VP of AI Experience at Airbnb, gives young talents advice on how to deal with the job market changed by artificial intelligence.

  • “Without internationals, we wouldn’t have the people we need,” says Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies

    “Without internationals, we wouldn’t have the people we need,” says Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies

    Fujifilm’s Hillerød facility thrives with a diverse workforce, employing over 1,800 people from more than 65 nationalities. Morten Munk, Director of Global Alliance Management, highlights how the company’s rapid growth relies on attracting international talent due to Denmark’s limited pool of scientific professionals.