10th edition CIFF – 10-14 April 2024

Land of Mine (Under sandet) (2016 Feature Film)

Martin Zandvliet | Denmark | 2015 | 100 min | Danish, German, English | e.s.

The horror of World War II throws a harrowing shadow in this intense drama about captured German soldiers who are forced to neutralize the remaining landmines along the Danish coast. An interesting game with the viewer's sympathy, in which every scene is fraught with tension.

Filmmaker Martin Zandvliet incisively brings to life a willfully forgotten and shameful part of Danish history. It is the end of World War II and the occupation has left its marks, both on the Danish coast and in the minds of the people. Under the leadership of the callous sergeant Rasmussen (Roland Møller), a group of German boys – counter to the agreements of the Geneva Convention – are forced to risk their lives to make the beaches safe again. The serene Danish coastal landscapes, caught in crispy clear images, are regularly shaken up by explosions when another trembling, underfed hand has detonated a landmine. In a subtle manner, Zandvliet transforms the German teenagers from anonymous enemies to full-blooded characters. The bloodier the post-war battle ground becomes, the greater Rasmussen’s inner conflict. Owing to the outstanding performances of the entire cast, every scene of this fact-based drama vibrates with urgency. Winner Warsteiner Audience Award and MovieZone Award in IFFR 2016.

Place: CINEMA 2

Date: 8 April 2016

Time: 16:15

Duration: 1:45

Place: CINEMA 2

Date: 10 April 2016

Time: 13:30

Duration: 1:45

Year in
Festival

2016

Director

Martin Zandvliet

Camera

Camilla Hjelm Knudsen

Cast

Roland Møller
Mikkel Boe Følsgaard
Louis Hofmann
Joel Basman
Emil Belton
Oskar Belton

Country

Denmark

Editor

Per Sandholt
Molly Marlene Stensgaard

Language

Danish
German
English

Length

100 min

Music

Sune Martin

Producer

Mikael Rieks
Malte Grunert

Production Company

Nordisk Film Production
Amusement Park Films

Production Design

Gitte Malling

Sales

K5 International

Scenario

Martin Zandvliet

Sound Design

Rasmus Winther Jensen
Johannes Elling Dam

Year of Production

2015

Website

Martin ZANDVLIET (1971, Denmark) made his directorial debut with Angels of Brooklyn (2001). His first short fiction film Me as Usual was released in 2006. Zandvliet’s feature film debut Applause (2008) received multiple international awards. Land of Mine (2015) is his third feature film.

 

Filmography

Angels of Brooklyn (2001, doc), Jeg som regel/Me as Usual (2006, short), Mon petit-enfant (2008, short), Applaus/Applause (2008), Dirch/A Funny Man (2011), Under sandet/Land of Mine (2015)