Ben Hamilton
December 9th, 2022

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Star architect Bjarke Ingels has designed a home to showcase the vintage car collection of Danish entrepreneur Mads Peter Veiby – and the inspiration is a classic US film about high-schoolers playing truant!

Located among some rare Danish hills on the outskirts of Aalborg, it might very well be the most expensive house ever built in Denmark.

Plenty of windows to crash out of
“We are going to do a ‘Ferris Bueller’s Day Off’ house – only even more beautiful,” Ingels told Architectural Digest.

The result is a loop-shaped villa, walled by glass on two sides, so plenty of room for Veiby’s prized Ferrari to crash out of the windows, should his teenage son decide he wants to grab his attention.

To be fair, though, Veiby is more of a Porsche man. Among his collection are a 1990 red Carrera, a 1979 green Turbo, and a 1959 silver 356 Outlaw.

Crazy guy at the top of the hill
“In 100 years, people may say that once upon a time a crazy guy lived up on that hill,” added Veiby.

“At some point in life you have to make a decision that doesn’t make sense.”

Academic on trial denied her ‘Hollywood’ day in court
It sounds like Katrine Dirckinck-Holmfeld, the academic charged with aggravated vandalism for throwing the bust of Frederik V into Copenhagen Harbour in 2020, wanted ‘her day in court’. It could have been triumphant moment, not out of place in a Hollywood film, to highlight social injustice – in this case Denmark’s shameful colonial past. But Copenhagen City Court is only permitting two of the defence’s 13 witnesses, rejecting 11 academics who were called upon to shed light on the case artistically and from an art history perspective. Dirckinck-Holmfeld lost her job as head of department at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts when it emerged she had thrown the bust “in solidarity with the people who live with the aftermath of Danish colonialism”. She had the backing of Anonyme Billedkunstnere, which explained the action was necessary to  “articulate the ways in which the colonial era is invisible”. But now it would appear the court won’t hear much about the background. Still, there could be a sequel: should Dirckinck-Holmfeld lose, it is expected the case will be appealed to the High Court.

Viaplay commissions Danish-language film
Viaplay has commissioned a Danish-language film – the first since it concluded a deal to continue producing content for the domestic market, but under new terms. Starring Danica Curcic (‘Kastanjemanden’) and Lars Brygmann (‘Borgen’ and ‘Krudttønden’), ‘Camino’ is a family film about a father and daughter who walk the famous pilgrims’ route in Spain. Produced by Motor Productions, it will be directed by Birgitte Stærmose, a Danish director well known among British television circles for her work helming episodes of ‘Industry’, ‘The English Game’ and ‘The Spanish Princess’. ‘Camino’ is her first Danish-language feature, and feature film, since 2017. It will screen exclusively on Viaplay next year. 

Danish Queen celebrates Golden Jubilee in London’s Danish church
Queen Margrethe II recently visited the UK to attend a church service in honour of her Golden Jubilee. The special service was held at the Danish Church of St Katharine’s in Camden Town, a district of London. The clergy on duty wore outer garments designed by the monarch in 2019 – special ‘chasubles’ custom-made for St Katharine’s. The 200-year-old London church, which is located in a corner of Regent’s Park, has been a place of Lutheran worship since 1952 – an inauguration attended by Margrethe’s parents King Frederik X and Queen Ingrid.  

Olivia Colman makes visit to Danish warehouse to help pack Ukraine boxes
Oscar-winning British actress Olivia Colman recently visited Denmark as part of her role as president of UNICEF UK. She got busy in a Copenhagen warehouse, helping to pack Christmas presents and wrote notes for parcels destined for children in Ukraine. “It’s so important that children can receive this kind of support. A bomb is dropped, you lose everything,” she told British tabloid The Mirror. “You lose your right and your ability to be clean and to feel safe, and for children their right to play and learn and feel nourished and looked after and cared for. And that’s why this is so important. There is no child in the world who is responsible for any war, and amazing people here make sure that they’re not forgotten and they’re looked after.”

Danish TV company snaps up rights to Korean gameshow
Mastiff TV Denmark has picked up the rights to make a Danish version of the popular Korean gameshow ‘The Genius Game’. The survival gameshow tests intelligence and social savviness. The first European version, in the Netherlands, debuted in October. The rights to British and Norwegan versions have also been sold by Banijay on behalf of South Korean media giant CJ ENM.

Danish crew seeking 20,000 kroner to complete short film
A Danish-based international crew have launched a crowdfunder to complete their 30-minute film ‘Post Pandemia’. So far they have raised just over 2,000 of their 20,000 kroner target. The film tells the story of a gay woman in a Post-Apocalyptic world who enters a breeding program in search of companionship but no desire to actually get pregnant. Director and writer Dawn Wall, a well-known actress on the English-language theatre scene (previous plays include ‘Educating Rita’ and ‘Rub-A-Dub-Dub’), has assembled a truly international crew. Among the cast are esteemed Danish actor Claus Bue and Gordon Torbet from Improv Comedy Copenhagen. For those who back the film, the rewards are plentiful, from 52 kroner for a thank you in the credits, to 2,000 kroner for a speaking role and credit on IMDB and 5,000 kroner for the title of executive producer and 2 percent of all future proceeds, plus other perks.