Open Hearts (Dogma '95)
Romantic drama with top Danish cast in which the lives of two couples become intertwined after a tragic car accident. Filmed in accordance with Dogma 95 rules.
Joachim and Cæcilie, a young couple from Copenhagen, have just decided to get married, when Joachim is hit by a car. He survives the accident, but is paralysed from head to toe. The woman who caused the accident, Marie, is consumed by guilt and calls her husband Niels, a doctor at the hospital, to assist the couple. Rejected by a frustrated and bitter Joachim, Cæcilie seeks solace with Niels, who falls hopelessly in love with the young woman.
The storyline of Open Hearts would not be out of place in a soap opera. But precisely through the use of the Dogma 95 rules – and the raw aesthetics that go with them – the film manages to be genuinely moving. Through great drama and extreme emotions, director Susanne Bier gets to the heart of her characters. The film was nominated for six Bodils (the most important Danish film awards) and won three, including Best Film.