A 52-year-old film director who grew up in the small Danish town of Himmerland.

Have I seen any of his movies?

I hope you have, because he directed the great Swedish movie ‘The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo’.

Oh yeah, I have seen that!

It’s such a good movie, and if you liked the lead actress Noomi Rapace, you can now see her in a film called ‘Dead Man Down’, also directed by Oplev… which last week was given one star out of six in our InOut section .

So they like working together?

He has said she is like a sister to him,  – which normally translates as meaning he sleeps with all her friends.

Was he famous before?

He first became quite famous for his 2006 film ‘Drømmen’ (‘We Shall Overcome’), which is said to be based on his own childhood growing up in a small community with a vicious headmaster. It won 30 international awards. Apart from that, he has directed the very moving film ‘To verdener’ (‘Worlds Apart’), which is a true story about a young girl who is a Jehovah’s Witness. When she falls in love with a Danish boy, her family turns their back on her.

Shutting the door works best for me.

Don’t knock it … it will make you reach for the tissues, if not shedding tears of sadness, then at least tears of anger. 

Does he only direct movies?

No, he has directed quite a few Danish TV shows, including the popular Rejseholdet (‘Unit One’), which DR1 is currently repeating every Sunday. He directed the first three episodes of the series, which is based on true crime stories in Denmark.

And what is he working on now?

He recently directed the pilot for a US series of the Stephen King bestseller ‘Under the Dome’, which will be broadcast in the US on June 24. Furthermore, rumour has it that he will be directing a remake of the Brat Pack classic ‘Flatliners’.