Lars von Trier’s THE HOUSE THAT JACK BUILT in Official Selection – Out of Competition

Lars von Trier’s DANCER IN THE DARK and following of his other works have been selected for and have won awards in Main Competition at the festival: THE ELEMENT OF CRIME (1984); EUROPA (1991); BREAKING THE WAVES (1996); THE IDIOTS (1998); DOGVILLE (2003); MANDERLAY (2005); ANTICHRIST (2009); MELANCHOLIA (2011).

Film i Väst has co-produced nine feature films by Lars von Trier (* shot in Trollhättan, Västra Götaland): Dancer in the Dark*, Dogville*, Manderlay, Direktøren for det hele, Erik Nietsche – de unga åren (script), Antichrist, Melancholia*, Nymphomaniac, The House That Jack Built*.

The cast of THE HOUSE THAT JACK BUILT consists of Matt Dillon (WAYWARD PINES, 2016; CRASH, 2004) as Jack, Bruno Ganz (DOWNFALL, 2004) as Verge and Uma Thurman(NYMPHOMANIAC, 2013; PULP FICTION, 1995), Riley Keough (The Girlfriend Experience, 2016; Mad Max: Fury Road, 2015), Siobhan Fallon Hogan (DANCER IN THE DARK, 2000; DOGVILLE, 2003) and Sofie Gråbøl (THE DAY WILL COME, 2016; THE KILLING, 2012) will appear as some of the unfortunate women who encounter Jack along his way.

THE HOUSE THAT JACK BUILT takes place in 1970s USA. We follow the highly intelligent Jack through 5 incidents and are introduced to the murders that define Jack’s development as a serial killer. We experience the story from Jack’s point of view. He views each murder as an artwork in itself, even though his dysfunction gives him problems in the outside world. Despite the fact that the final and inevitable police intervention is drawing ever near (which both provokes and puts pressure on Jack) he is – contrary to all logic – set on taking greater and greater chances.

Along the way we experience Jack’s descriptions of his personal condition, problems and thoughts through a recurring conversation with the unknown Verge – a grotesque mixture of sophistry mixed with an almost childlike self-pity and in-depth explanations of, for Jack, dangerous and difficult manoeuvres.

The film has been sold to the U.S. (IFC), UK and Ireland (Curzon Artificial Eye), Germany, Austria (Telemünchen), France (Films Du Losanges), Latin America (California Filmes), Italy (Videa), Benelux (September film), Greece (Seven Films), Portugal (Leopardo filmes), Israel (Shani Film), Middle East (Falcon Films), China (DD Dream), Hong Kong (Sundream), South Korea (Atnine Film), Russia/CIS (Russian World Vision), Poland (Gutek), Hungary (Vertigo Media), Taiwan (Moviecloud), Former Yugoslavia (Cinemania group), Czech Republic (Aero film), Bulgaria (Euro Films), Romania (Independenta Film 97) and Baltic States (Estin Film).

THE HOUSE THAT JACK BUILT is produced by Louise Vesth for Zentropa Group in co-production with Film i Väst, Copenhagen Film Fund, Slot Machine, with support from Danish Film Institute, Swedish Film Institute, Nordisk Film & TV Fond, Centre National du Cinema et de l’image animée, Film- und Medienstiftung NRW, Eurimages, The Media Programme of the European Union, and in cooperation with DR, SVT. Nordic distribution through Nordisk Film. TrustNordisk handles international sales.