Playing as part of London Film Festival’s Thrill strand of screenings, Danish director Michael Noer’s newest feature Northwest depicts just how fast petty disputes can spiral out of control for a pair of brothers caught up in Copenhagen’s criminal underworld. Michael joins us to explain how he mixes loose improvisation with tight script takes and how off-screen action can be used to initiate the ‘inner cinema’ of the audience.
Northwest (2013)
18-year-old Caspar wants to reach the top, no matter what. He carries out small-time break-ins for Jamal, before moving on to work for big player Björn. All goes well, until Jamal’s gang decide they want revenge. What starts with pushing and shoving soon escalates into armed conflict. This is a big test for Caspar: is he ruthless enough for this battle? And will he drag his younger brother into it?
When we develop a script I always try to look at it like a shopping list; “What kind ingredients do I need to make this crime related lasagne?”
