Three Danish films are Holy Spider by Ali Abbasi, Forever by Frelle Petersen and As in Heaven by Tea Lindeburg have been shortlisted as Denmark’s candidate in the International Feature Film category for the 95th Oscars. The winners will be decided on September 27.

Holy Spider

Holy Spider by Ali Abbasi is set in Iran and is inspired by the true story of a serial killer, who in 2000-2001 “cleaned” the streets of female sex workers. At the center of the story is a female journalist who descends into the dark underworld of Mashhad, Iran’s holiest city, to investigate the murders.

Watch a trailer for Holy Spider

Holy Spider world premiered in Cannes Competition, where Zar Amir Ebrahimi received the Best Actress award for her performance.

Forever

Forever is the story of a close-knit family struck by grief. When Lily loses her brother, and Egon and Maren their son, the family is thrown into a deep crisis. Now the three of them need to find their way back to life and to reconstitute their family.

Watch a trailer for Forever.

Forever by Frelle Petersen will celebrate its international premiere in Competition at the San Sebastián Film Festival.

As in Heaven

The story takes place at the end of the 19th century, where we follow a young girl, Lise, over the course of a day, whose life and dreams change forever as her mother goes into labor.

Watch a trailer for As in Heaven

As in Heaven by Tea Lindeburg premiered at Toronto Film Festival in 2021 and went on to win two Silver Shells at San Sebastian – for Best Director to Tea Lindeburg and for best leading performance to Flora Ofelia Hofmann Lindahl. At Göteborg Film Festival, the film won the Dragon Award for best Nordic film.

Four Danish films have won an Oscar in the International Feature Film category: Thomas Vinterberg’s Another Round in 2021, Susanne Bier’s In a Better World in 2011, Bille August’s Pelle the Conqueror in 1989, and Gabriel Axel’s Babette’s Feast in 1988.