Minor Mishaps

Colour, 35mm
Denmark, 2001, 105 min
Section: Horizons

About the film

After the mother’s sudden death, we follow the lives of the four remaining members of the family. The widower John is something of a joker who, for 46 years, allowed his wife to spoil him and never had to accept responsibility for what went on around him. He has heart problems but decides to continue going to work. The oldest daughter Eva, who is trying to make it as an actress, lives in seclusion in the countryside and styles herself as the black sheep of the family. Now she has decided to move back to the city to take a course in painting. She finds out about her mother’s death on the day of her arrival in Copenhagen. The son, Tom, is a successful businessman, always full of energy, and his mother’s favourite from the start. He never gave much thought to anything, but after his mother’s death he throws himself into his work with a vengeance. His new work tempo doesn’t suit his wife Lisbeth, however, who feels neglected. Marianne is the youngest and was never able to fly out of the family nest. She never earned a penny before her mother’s death. While close to her mother, she now craves independence and is looking for love. All of them are trying to “find” themselves and gradually they realise that they can’t choose their family, they were simply born into it.

About the director

Annette K. Olesen (b. 1965, in Denmark) studied direction at the Danish National Film School until 1991. Her graduate film, 10:32 AM Tuesday – A Love Story, won a number of awards at international festivals. She made several commercials, shorts and documentaries and is currently lecturing in her native Denmark in the National Film School’s editing department. Her film Minor Mishaps is her feature debut, screened in competition at this year’s Berlin IFF. Filmography: (10:31 AM Tuesday, A Love Story (10:32 Tirstag – en kaerlighedshistorie, 1991), Interview (1992), Har du ild? (1992), Julies balkon (1992), Tifanfaya (1997), Y (1998), Selsving (2000), Minor Mishaps (Sma ulykker, 2001).