Klaus Rifbjerg

Writing

Klaus Rifbjerg

Born 1931-12-15 · Copenhagen, Denmark

Klaus Rifbjerg (15 December 1931 – 4 April 2015) was a Danish writer. He authored more than 170 novels, books and essays. In 1965 he co-produced the film 4x4 which was entered into the 4th Moscow International Film Festival. Rifbjerg was born in Copenhagen and grew up on the island of Amager, which is part of the city, the child of two teachers. Later he studied English and literature, in Copenhagen and for a year in the US at Princeton University. His breakthrough was in 1958 with the novel Den kroniske Uskyld. It was made into a film in 1985, directed by Edward Fleming. From that time on he published more than 100 novels as well as poetry and short story collections, plays, TV and radio plays, film scripts, children's books and diaries. Rifbjerg is also known for having been a journalist and critic. Along with Villy Sørensen, he was editor of the publication Vindrosen, and from 1984 to 1991 he was the literary director of Gyldendal. Among other honors, he was awarded the Swedish Academy Nordic Prize (1999), known as the 'little Nobel'[citation needed]; The Nordic Council's Literature Prize (1970), the Rungstedlund Award (2009) and the grand prize of the Danish Academy (1966). Rifbjerg has been seen as the first true modernist author in Danish, as he became increasingly more experimental though the 1960s, culminating with Anna (jeg) Anna. Many of his works from 1970 and some 25 years on are seen as being looser in scope and composition, often humorous or sarcastic, often leaving the protagonist chaotically alone with his or her existential and psychological hangups, subtly exemplifying modernism as the breakdown of the normality of the bourgeoisie. A principal theme is the portrayal of children and their difficulties establishing their own identity. Rifbjerg's works from the 2000s opened a new line of inspiration: historic events. On 4 April 2015 Rifbjerg died in Copenhagen after a long illness, aged 83.

Acting credits

Behind the camera

Charlie Butterfly poster
9.8

Hans is the name of the film's driving force and central character, an arrogant and fascinating firebrand who meddles in other people's lives with great energy. His son Jesper can only escape him by getting drunk. This is not a smart move when you are a firefighter at the station where your gruff father is the boss. Jesper is kicked out of his job and his home. Shortly afterwards, the only person who loves Hans patiently and unconditionally dies: his mother, whom he calls the Angel. Hans is guilty, he falls apart, tries to kill himself, but ends up blind – and alone.

Charlie Butterfly

2002

Vandalism poster
5.8

Based upon the novel "Hærværk" by Tom Kristensen about the self destructive person. The literary reviewer Ole Jastrau chooses to free himself from his well-ordered middle class life. He allow the seriously left-wing writer Steffensen move in with himself which soon causes disintegration of his home an marriage.

Vandalism

1977

Katinka poster
4.7

A new foreman, Huus, arrives in a sleepy Danish village, much to the delight of the unmarried women there. However, Huus becomes very friendly with Katinka and her husband, Bai, the stationmaster. Katinka, childless and in frail health, gradually falls in love with Huus, though her husband does not seem to notice. Based on the work by Herman Bang.

Katinka

1988

The Flight of the Eagle poster
7.0

The Swedish 19th century engineer Salomon August Andrée sets out to become the first man on the north pole. His idea is to launch a polar expedition using a hydrogen balloon, together with two friends. The balloon, "The Eagle", takes off from Svalbard in 1897, but the three men are never heard from again.

The Flight of the Eagle

1982

4 x 4 poster
7.3

Four short stories from Norway, Denmark, Sweden and Finland.

4 x 4

1965

4 x 4 poster
7.3

Four short stories from Norway, Denmark, Sweden and Finland.

4 x 4

1965

1996: Pust på meg! poster
6.0

On a day in April 1996, four stories play out in the confines of a flat in the heart of Oslo.

1996: Pust på meg!

1997

En landsbydegns dagbog poster
10.0

No synopsis available yet.

En landsbydegns dagbog

1975

Once There Was a War poster
6.4

The film is a window into the world of fifteen-year-old Tim, sharing his joys and sorrows and his first encounter with love, during the German occupation of Denmark in World War II.

Once There Was a War

1966

The Last Sentence poster
6.1

Renowned journalist Torgny Segerstedt declares war against Hitler as he criticizes Swedish politicians who tried to look away from the tyranny of the Nazis with the good excuse of “neutralism”. His only weapon is his pen and his life is full of gossip such as an affair with his boss’ wife, a love scandal with a secretary younger than his daughter, and the suicide of his wife. However, he continues to fight a one man battle against Hitler and the Nazi regime until his death, throwing the question “Can one person really change history?” to the audience.

The Last Sentence

2012

No artwork available
6.0

Udenrigskorrespondenten was Leth's first feature but must be regarded as an experiment in fiction rather than an action film in the usual sense. Alex Hansen (Henning Jensen) is a peripatetic correspondent and at the start of the film on an assignment in civil-war-ravaged El Salvador.

Interference

1983

De sjove aar poster
5.3

Outside the large hotel, there is a lot of activity. It is teeming with foreigners, buses arrive and depart, and indoors the air is filled with foreign languages. But if you look more closely, you will discover that the doorman, hotel porter, waitresses, and waiters are not "real" hotel staff at all, but just students who take on extra jobs in the summer to earn money for their studies and who live in the "hotel" themselves in the winter, which is actually a student dormitory called "Egmont."

De sjove aar

1959

Jeg er sgu min egen poster
8.5

Being yourself – and above all your own master – that is what the film is about. After a short stay at a girls' home, Annie returns to society and has to adapt once again. It isn't long before Annie gets involved in a deadly fight and is even taken to the police station and brought before the court. Fortunately, one of the jurors takes an interest in her and offers to take care of her and give her a home. However, Annie cannot stand this home and runs away.

Jeg er sgu min egen

1967

Det var en lørdag aften poster
7.0

One Saturday evening, Trine prepares dinner for her boyfriend Hans. Unfortunately, Hans is delayed, as on his way between Frihavnen and Valby, he encounters a series of individuals whom he feels compelled to wait for in various ways. Back at the club apartment, Trine decides to transform the romantic dinner into a kitchen party for her friends.

Det var en lørdag aften

1968

Tukuma poster
6.3

Stunning photography of icy tundra does not make up for dramatic weaknesses in this average story about a brother searching for clues to the death of his sibling in a forbidding environment. Erik (Thomas Eje) is newly divorced and a depressed, despairing man who arrives in Greenland after his brother died in a hang-gliding accident. He eventually moves in with an Inuit woman Soerine (Naja Rosing Olsen) and her son Nikki, whom Erik suspects is his dead brother's child. His search and suspicions are punctuated by other subsidiary, mini-dramas, and long, sweeping vistas of the ice-bound landscape.

Tukuma

1984

Weekend poster
4.7

A group of better-off thirty-somethings meet for a weekend in Knud and Beth's home. The host couple is prone to bickering regularly. The married couples (Jan and Ilse, and Kjeld and Tove) that are visiting understand and try to stay out of the way. Bachelor Lars, however, comes into his own and is a constant source of provocative comments.

Weekend

1962

I den grønne skov poster
9.0

"Modern vaudeville," where the entire story takes place at Dyrehavsbakken. In an impressionistic style, it tells the story of the waiter Mowitz, who ponders whether he loves the singer Myrna and what true love really is. He ponders too long; Myrna instead becomes engaged to the pianist Bertram, who can get her into the Circus Revue. Mowitz also takes too long to discover the singer Lillian's interest, so his friend Max snatches her up instead, while Mowitz can continue his search for the one and only.

I den grønne skov

1968

Pelota poster
8.5

A documentary view of the Basque ball-game in which a small hard leather ball is hit against a wall. The film gives an impression of the game itself and of those who play it, not only the star performers (and the myths that surround them), but also those who just play in the streets and alleyways. The film sees the game it its cultural context and conveys the emotions and stories that are peculiar to the Basque country.

Pelota

1983

No artwork available
3.7

In 1950s Copenhagen, Jens is a law student with a part-time job in a law firm. He lives at home and is more or less engaged to Lis. Jens' life is very regular and organized until he meets slightly older Erhard, a head clerk at the firm. Erhard lures Jens into the mysterious city nightlife, and from now on, Jens' life changes. The engagement is broken off and his education is neglected.

Shadow of the Clouds

1996

Laila Løvehjerte poster
8.0

The mysterious, impoverished Count Virtus (Federspiel) realizes his dream of a life at sea, and his young servant Kent (Springborg) must endure much pain before he finds happiness.

Laila Løvehjerte

1972