Ulrich Thomsen wins Best Actor Performance in Tallinn

The 24th Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival edition (13-29 November)wrapped its awards ceremony and announced the winners.

Best Actor performance goes to Ulrich Thomsen for ‘Erna At War’

Jury comment: “We wanted to pay tribute to an acting performance that is aware that it’s there to play a balanced yet profoundly dramatic supporting role to an equally fine lead actress, and gives a wonderfully controlled and rich performance that adds massively to a powerful and memorable film.”


ERNA AT WAR
Genre : Drama/ War
Based on Erling Jepsen's novel
Local title : Erna on sõjas
Original title Erna I Krig
Country : Denmark, Estonia, Belgium
Year : 2020
Director : Henrik Ruben Genz (Terribly Happy,Dangerous People, Bror, Min Bror)
Screenwriter : Bo Hr. Hansen, Henrik Ruben Genz
Cast : Trine Dyrholm, Ulrich Thomsen, Anders W. Berthelsen, Sylvester Byder
Producer : Birgitte Hald, Nynne Selin Eidnes
DoP : Jørgen Johansson
Editor : Anders Skov
Runtime : 1h46m
Language : Danish, German
I

Denmark, 1918. WWI is raging through Europe. Germany is so low on soldiers, young Danish men are being drafted to join the war.

A group of soldiers headed up by Officer Meyer show up at Erna’s house to enlist her 17-year-old son Kalle in the German army. Determined to stay close to Kalle, Erna takes drastic action: she takes on the identity of a soldier who has deserted ranks, so that she can follow Kalle´s unit and protect him.

To get support, Erna makes a secret pact with Officer Meyer, who takes a liking to her. But soon Erna finds herself trapped in her disguise as a man, in a violent world of men, heading off to battle on the front lines!

She also has to come to terms with Kalle's new determination to find his own way amid the horrors of war. As she learns to let go, Erna will finally open up her heart, discover passion and free herself from the dark secret she has been holding in for so many years.