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Dancer in the Dark

2000
Become a fan of its genres:
7.8/10

Release Date

01/09/2000

Popularity

🍅 Rotten Tomatoes
69%
🎬 Internet Movie Database
79%
Ⓜ️ Metacritic
63%

In a world of shadows, she found the light of life.

Washington, United States, 1964. Selma is a Czech immigrant who lives in poverty with her twelve-year-old son, Gene. She works at a factory alongside Kathy, a good friend whom she has nicknamed Cvalda. Selma rents a trailer on the property of police officer Bill Houston and his wife, Linda. She suffers from a hereditary eye disease that is slowly stealing her sight, and she has one clear goal: to raise enough money for an operation that will spare Gene from the same fate. Every coin she earns is kept in a tin hidden in the kitchen. Her plan depends on saving enough money in time, and the story begins with her counting every penny as the disease progresses.

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Facts about Dancer in the Dark

Releases, age ratings, box office, post-credit scenes and more.

Post-credits sceneNone
Age ratingNot recommended for viewers under 12 years old
Spain releaseOctober 27, 2000
Worldwide premiereMay 17, 2000
Runtime2 h 20 min
Original languageEnglish
Original titleDancer in the Dark
CountriesDenmark, Finland, France, Germany
Production companiesZentropa Entertainments, DR, SVT Drama
Budget$12.5M
Worldwide box office$40.1M
Return on investmentx3.2 Box office hit
Trailer views145K

More ratings

4.2/5Letterboxd78/100Trakt8.6/10Metacritic (público)3.5/4Roger Ebert

Awards for Dancer in the Dark

11total awards
11total nominations
Goya 1 1 nomsGolden Globe 1 nomsCannes 2

Awards won

  • 2001Goya Award for Best European Film · Lars von Trier
  • 2000Palme d'Or · Lars von Trier
  • 2000Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actress · Björk
  • 2001Japan Academy Prize for Outstanding Foreign Language Film
  • 2001Independent Spirit Award for Best Foreign Film · Lars von Trier
  • 2001Robert Award for Best Production Design · Karl Júlíusson
  • 2000European Film Award for Best Film · Film i Väst
  • 2000European Film Award for Best Actress · Björk
  • 2000European Film Award - People's Choice Award for Best Director · Lars von Trier
  • 2000Jameson People's Choice Award for Best Actress · Björk
See 1 more
  • —National Board of Review: Top Ten Films

Nominations

  • 2001Goya Award for Best European Film
  • 2000Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Drama
  • 2001Satellite Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture
  • 2001Independent Spirit Award for Best Foreign Film
  • 2001César Award for Best Foreign Film
  • 2001Satellite Award for Best Film
See 5 more
  • 2001Japan Academy Prize for Outstanding Foreign Language Film
  • 2001Robert Award for Best Production Design
  • 2000Robert Award for Best Costume Design
  • 2000European Film Award for Best Film
  • 2000European Film Award for Best Actress

Dancer in the Dark Cast

Björk
BjörkSelma Jezkova
David Morse
David MorseBill Houston
Cara Seymour
Cara SeymourLinda Houston
Vladica Kostic
Vladica KosticGene Jezkova
Jean-Marc Barr
Jean-Marc BarrNorman
Vincent Paterson
Vincent PatersonSamuel
Siobhan Fallon Hogan
Siobhan Fallon HoganBrenda
Udo Kier
Udo KierDr. Porkorny
Jens Albinus
Jens AlbinusMorty
Reathel Bean
Reathel BeanJudge
Mette Berggreen
Mette BerggreenReceptionist
Lars Michael Dinesen
Lars Michael DinesenDefense Attorney / Dancer
Katrine Falkenberg
Katrine FalkenbergSuzan / Dancer
Michael Flessas
Michael FlessasAngry Man
John Randolph Jones
John Randolph JonesDetective
Noah Lazarus
Noah LazarusOfficer of the Court / Dancer
Sheldon Litt
Sheldon LittVisitor
Andrew Lucre
Andrew LucreClerk of Court / Dancer
John Martinus
John MartinusChairman / Dancer
Luke Reilly
Luke ReillyNew Defense Council
T.J. Rizzo
T.J. RizzoBoris / Dancer
Stellan Skarsgård
Stellan SkarsgårdDoctor
Sean-Michael Smith
Sean-Michael SmithPerson in Doorway
Paprika Steen
Paprika SteenWoman on Night Shift
Eric Voge
Eric VogeOfficer
Nick Wolf
Nick WolfMan with Hood
Timm Zimmermann
Timm ZimmermannGuard / Dancer
Al Agami
Al AgamiDancer
Alex Mouro
Alex MouroDancer
Alexander Arli
Alexander ArliDancer
Allan Gyldenkærne
Allan GyldenkærneDancer
Ami Eklöf-Annell
Ami Eklöf-AnnellDancer
Ana Christine Broström
Ana Christine BroströmDancer
Anders Tärneberg
Anders TärnebergDancer
Anders Thorhauge
Anders ThorhaugeDancer
Anders-Peter Torsleff Hansen
Anders-Peter Torsleff HansenDancer
Ann Crosset
Ann CrossetDancer
Anna David
Anna DavidDancer
Anna Norberg
Anna NorbergDancer
Anna Rosenberg
Anna RosenbergDancer
Annette Lindholm
Annette LindholmDancer
Anthony Ajoise Olufemi Jacob
Anthony Ajoise Olufemi JacobDancer
Birgitte Skands
Birgitte SkandsDancer
Bjorn Ahlander
Bjorn AhlanderDancer
Bo Westerholm
Bo WesterholmDancer
Bobo Eriksson
Bobo ErikssonDancer
Britt Bendixen
Britt BendixenDancer
Carl Johan De Neergaard
Carl Johan De NeergaardDancer
Carol Linda Nielsen
Carol Linda NielsenDancer
Claus Berenhard
Claus BerenhardDancer
Cristian Valle
Cristian ValleDancer
Diana G.L. Watson
Diana G.L. WatsonDancer
Ed Hickok
Ed HickokDancer
Edvin Karsson
Edvin KarssonDancer
Eli Stalhand
Eli StalhandDancer
Elin Johansson
Elin JohanssonDancer
Emilie Bendz
Emilie BendzDancer
Erik Dammann
Erik DammannDancer
Erik Drugge
Erik DruggeDancer
Fredrik Börgesson
Fredrik BörgessonDancer
Frederik Mondrup
Frederik MondrupDancer
Marianne Bengtsson
Marianne BengtssonDancer
Karoliina Heiskanen
Karoliina HeiskanenDancer
Troels Asmussen
Troels AsmussenDancer (uncredited)
Caroline Sascha Cogez
Caroline Sascha CogezPrison Guard - Serving Selma Jezkova's Last Meal (uncredited)

Cast of Dancer in the Dark also appears in these series

Cast of Dancer in the Dark by the numbers

43average cast age in years
23years of age gap between the leads
30%women in the cast
34%women in the crew

The youngest in the main cast: Vladica Kostic, age 15 at release. The oldest: Joel Grey, at 68.

Cast ages at release

  • Björk34 years old
  • Catherine Deneuve57 years old
  • David Morse47 years old
  • Peter Stormare47 years old
  • Joel Grey68 years old
  • Cara Seymour36 years old
  • Vladica Kostic15 years old
  • Jean-Marc Barr40 years old
  • Vincent Paterson50 years old
  • Siobhan Fallon Hogan39 years old

Cast heights

Cast nationalities

United States 2France 1Slovenia 1

Crew

  • AddressLars von Trier
  • WritingLars von Trier
  • MusicBjörk
  • PhotographyRobby Müller
  • EditingFrançois Gédigier, Molly Malene Stensgaard
  • Production designKarl Júlíusson
  • Costume designManon Rasmussen
  • CastingAvy Kaufman, Joyce Nettles
  • ProductionVibeke Windeløv, Leo Pescarolo

Trivia about Dancer in the Dark

The musical sequences were shot with more than 100 digital cameras at once to capture multiple angles of the performances and shorten the shooting schedule.
A Danish MY locomotive and a T43 (no. 107), owned by the Swedish operator TÅGAB, were painted in the American Great Northern scheme and were never repainted.
Björk said she didn't want to act again after the shoot, but she ended up appearing in Drawing Restraint 9 (2005) and The Northman (2022).
The title alludes to the duet between Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse, "Dancing in the Dark," from The Band Wagon (1953), in keeping with the theme of the stage musical.

Sources: Wikipedia (English)

Before and After

Part ofGolden Heart trilogy

What it's about Dancer in the Dark

factory workerindividualimmigrantblindness and impaired visiondancingeye operationsmall townnaivetyhereditary diseaserobberycourtmusicalfemale friendshipmurderdebtpolice officertrailerdaydreamingmother son relationshipbitter

Main theme: capital punishment, blindness, music

What Dancer in the Dark is called in other countries

It was released in 36 countries, each in its own language.

  • SpainBailar en la oscuridad
  • MexicoBailando en la oscuridad
  • BrazilDançando no Escuro
  • PortugalDançando no Escuro
  • Japanダンサー・イン・ザ・ダーク
  • South Korea어둠 속의 댄서
  • China黑暗中的舞者
  • RussiaТанцующая в темноте
  • ArgentinaBailarina en la oscuridad
  • AzerbaijanQaranlıqdaki Rəqqas
  • BulgariaТанцьорка в мрака
  • CanadaDanser dans le noir
See the remaining 24 countries
  • CroatiaPlesačica u tami
  • CzechiaTanec v temnotách
  • EstoniaTantsija pimeduses
  • Georgiaსიბნელეში მოცეკვავე
  • GreeceHorevontas sto skotadi
  • Hong Kong天黑黑
  • HungaryTáncos a sötétben
  • IcelandMyrkradansarinn
  • IranRaghsandeh dar tariki
  • Israelרוקדת בחשיכה
  • KazakhstanТанцующая в темноте
  • LatviaDejotāja Tumsā
  • LithuaniaŠokėja tamsoje
  • PolandTańcząc w ciemnościach
  • RomaniaDansând cu noaptea
  • SerbiaPlesačica u tami
  • SlovakiaTanečnica v tme
  • SloveniaPlesalka v temi
  • Taiwan在黑暗中漫舞
  • Thailandจังหวะชีวิต ลิขิตด้วยเพลง
  • TurkeyKaranlıkta dans
  • UkraineТа, що танцює у пітьмі
  • UruguayBailarina en la oscuridad
  • VietnamVũ Công Trong Bóng Tối

Where it was filmed Dancer in the Dark

FilmingWhere the story takes place

Filming locations

Where the Story Takes Place

Source: Wikidata. Map: © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Quotes by Dancer in the Dark

  • In Czechoslovakia, I saw a film, and they were eating candy from a tin just like this. I thought to myself... how wonderful it must be in the United States.
  • I've got little games I play when it goes really hard. When I'm working in the factory... and the machines, they make these... rhythms... And I just start dreaming, and it all becomes music.
  • Clatter, crash, clack! Racket, bang, thump! Rattle, clang, crack, thud, whack, bam! It's music, now dance!
  • I used to dream that I was in a musical coz in a musical nothing dreadful ever happens.

Source: Wikiquote (CC BY-SA)

Dancer in the Dark Stats

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Popularity of Dancer in the Dark

26KWikipedia views (30 days)
▼ 14%compared to the previous month

Daily visits to their English Wikipedia article over the last 60 days.

Where to Watch Dancer in the Dark

No streaming availability in Spain.

Soundtrack from Dancer in the Dark

Original music by Björk

Find the soundtrack on your streaming platform: