Danish independent film, or how to make films without public funding

Studying independent film in Denmark is a new and interesting way to analyse power relations in Danish film productions. The sheer magnitude of Danish indiefilms is in itself a very convincing voice to be heard. Throughout the past almost two decades we have seen a developing challenge to the typical way of producing a film in Denmark. Small production companies shoot up everywhere. Some of them are very critical of the public Danish film funding system, while others attempt to build a career as a Danish film producer. One key inspiration for many of the directors in – what has now become known as – Danish independent film is the American director Robert Rodriguez and especially his book Rebel without a crew (1995). The book is a diary of his first successful feature film production El mariachi (1992) and, basically, here he outlines a very different do-it-yourself-method of film production. This DIY-culture has very much provided Danish film subcultures with a bible and an idol to look up to