In the vibrant 70s drama Kollektivet Erik inherits a house that is actually too big for his three-headed family. He therefore decides together with his wife Anna in order to include tenants and form a commune. Reminders abound for Vinterberg, who spent his childhood self in such a community. “I have lived in a commune twelve years and miss it terribly,” the 46-year-old director tells in Berlin. “Everything turned parts. I remember when someone suggested to divide the rental income, while he earned the most, making his rent tripled. Something you’ll now not anymore. There is now much more solitude. Go together tasty, sex, fight, drink; I do not understand why people do so little. “

The way the housemates in Kollektivet relate to each other, forming a flawless reflection of society from that time. Equality comes first, but now everyone gets a distinct position. Anna is an emancipated woman with a good job as a newscaster, but notes how vulnerable she really is when Erik trades in her for a younger woman. Meanwhile, we see how their daughter discovered free love, how foreign housemate must tolerate much mistrust and how friend Ole themselves indoors emerged as a controlling police force under the rules of leader Eric, who then themselves sometimes seen as more equal others.

“They do try to avoid a power play, but getting there still entangled,” Vinterberg explains. “It is now once in the nature of man. Still, I think Erik also suffers himself. Anna says she is bored with him and that they have other people around needs it. That’s quite confronting. He reacts aggressive, egocentric and become immoral express love with someone else. That’s not a story about women’s oppression, but about how we are all replaceable. Absurd and sad, I think “

” I admit. Usually ‘t men who exchange women. Often for a younger person, something I myself have done. What Kollektivet which also involves a personal admission of guilt. But more importantly, this film shows how impermanent everything. Love between two people can just disappear, or someone could just die. That I myself also experienced in my commune. “

Vinterberg, however, chose not to model a character in itself. “That would provide enough drama. I happen to be a Dane, love the darkness. In addition, I want to leave anything without consequences. It would for instance have been unfair if Mads Mikkelsen at the end of Jagten suddenly became everyone’s friend. If that does not work. Some viewers get through Kollektivet feel bad about communes, because it ends so dark. Yet you also see how they are still together and keep smiling. That’s a happy ending for me. I especially wanted to show their loyalty and love. “

Vinterberg a similar atmosphere with twenty years ago when he and a group of colleagues shook the film world wake up to the Dogma 95 movement. Films must be as pure as possible, so there were no decorations, music, time jumps, lights or makeup used. Vinterberg kicked the ball rolling with the acclaimed family drama Festen. “We wanted to go against the established order,” he says. “Similar to a commune, because it was seen as something shameful. Everyone said I would help my career with soap Dogma. As if I was about to jump off a cliff. Something do you prefer hand in hand, so you’ll be brought together by it. That was also true in my commune. A sensational feeling of love. “

Kollektivet Vinterberg still brought back to his Dogma time because he Festen actors Trine Dyrholm and Ulrich Thomsen managed to tie for the lead roles. “A very warm and fruitful reunion. Interestingly, the couple again to have together. I thought she was already great and since then they have all been in about fifty movies, so now they are extraordinarily good. What Trine does in this film is extremely pure, brave and naked. “

That is where as a filmmaker to continue searching, although it no longer goes according to strict Dogma rules. “I still love taking risks, to run thin ice. Purity thereby always comes first, like when at Dogma 95. You may then wonder why I do not just keep making these movies, but it has become a style. There is even Dogma furniture:. Deliberately designed very sparingly “

That’s why I looked for another way to radiate purity and truthfulness. That I have brought from my Dogma time: the tendency to make something as naked as possible. Ultimately, all I do sifting through human fragility, “concluded Thomas Vinterberg. “That’s why I’m here. The nicest thing I can achieve it, is create characters and moments that stay with us. Then create your life “