Danish director Lars von Trier admitted to care center

COPENHAGEN

Danish filmmaker Lars von Trier, a major name in contemporary auteur cinema who has Parkinson's disease, has been admitted to a care center, his production company Zentropa said on Feb. 12.

One of the biggest stars of Danish cinema, von Trier has directed more than 14 feature films, often disturbing and violent.

"Lars is currently associated with a care center that can provide him with the treatment and care his condition requires," Zentropa producer Louise Vesth posted on Instagram.

"It's a complement to his own private accommodation. Lars is doing well under the circumstances," she added, lamenting the "need to pass on very personal information" following speculation in the Danish media.

The 68-year-old Copenhagen-born director has never shied away from controversy.

Von Trier sparked outrage by telling a 2011 Cannes Film Festival press conference for his film "Melancholia" that he was a Nazi who understood Adolf Hitler and sympathised "with him a little bit."

He was immediately banned, but his film remained in competition and its star Kirsten Dunst won an award for Best Actress. He later apologised for the comment.

Von Trier had previously won the Palme d'Or at Cannes in 2000 for "Dancer in the Dark".

The father of four wrote in a now-deleted Instagram post in 2023 that "with any luck I should still have a few decent movies left in me."

In September, a project von Trier was set to direct titled "After" had been granted 1.3 million Danish kroner ($192,000) by the Danish Film Institute (DFI), according to a listing published by the DFI.