Pelle the Conqueror
Drawing primarily from our 35mm collection, we are presenting an exquisite spring bouquet of Palme d’or winners to coincide with the can’t-miss Cannes Film Festival.
Winner of the Palme d'or, 1988 Cannes Film Festival
In the late 19th century, two Swedes—Lassefar, an elderly man, and Pelle, his young son—set off for Denmark to escape poverty. They soon become disillusioned and realize that the better life they had hoped for will not materialize: their rights are trampled upon, and Lassefar must work hard for a meager wage.
Bille August
Bille August is a Danish film director and screenwriter. He is one of the few directors to have won the Palme d'or twice, in 1988 for Pelle the Conqueror, and in 1992 for The Best Intentions. Starting in 1971, he directed numerous short films, commercials, and television films. He directed his first feature length In My Life in 1978. He has adapted several Danish novels for the screen, including Peter Høeg's Smilla's Sense of Snow and Pelle the Conqueror inspired by Martin Andersen Nexø's book. In addition to the Palme d'or, the latter film won the Golden Globe and the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. His second Palme d'or, The Best Intentions, is a portrait of Ingmar Bergman's parents in their youth, written by the Bergman himself.
