Prominent Director now persona non grata at Cannes Film Festival - for "Hitler comments"

I'm curious what our community makes of this relatively insignificant entertainment event.

The director, Lars von Trier, is an accomplished, and well-recognized member of the movie-making community, whose latest work "Melancholia" is among those being judged. He has had the successes and accolades the industry likes to elevate in such self-aggrandizing festivals as The Cannes.

Apparently, he said the following in what was described as a "bizarre, rambling news conference:"

Von Trier told reporters at the "Melancholia" news conference that he had some compassion for Hitler.
"What can I say? I understand Hitler, but I think he did some wrong things, yes, absolutely. But I can see him sitting in his bunker in the end," von Trier said. "He's not what you would call a good guy, but I understand much about him, and I sympathize with him a little bit. But come on, I'm not for the Second World War, and I'm not against Jews. ...

"I am very much for Jews. No, not too much, because Israel is a pain in the ass."

Von Trier went on to say he also admired Hitler aide Albert Speer.

Different reporters (or 'reporting', if you prefer) characterized that statement in varying degrees of disdain; but ultimately a statement was issued by the Cannes board which "firmly condemns these comments and declares Lars von Trier a persona non grata at the festival."

The Associated press writer who authored the source offered this:

"This is a welcome action, which declares to the world that the suffering of victims is not a fit subject for mockery or casual self-promotion," Elan Steinberg, vice president of the American Gathering of Holocaust Survivors and their Descendants, said in a statement. "The organizers of the Cannes film festival have eloquently taken a determined moral stand against cavalier expressions of hate and insensitivity to those brutalized by the Nazis — Jew and non-Jew."

Yet, it appears to be no secret that von Trier is married to a person of Jewish faith, and is not a Nazi.

But "Melanchola" co-star Stellan Skarsgard, who has worked on four past von Trier films along with some television projects, defended the director Thursday, saying "it's embarrassing for the Cannes Film Festival that they behave like this."

"Everybody knows he's not a Nazi. So what are they punishing him for? Lying? Saying he was a Nazi? Joking?" Skarsgard told Associated Press Television News. "It's a storm in a teacup, and it's absolutely silly. And that the festival doesn't have more spine than stand against all those upset feelings that have no ground, that is ridiculous, and it's unworthy of the festival to do something like that."

Please review the article and tell me. Are we crossing the line now? I have heard jokes and lighthearted remarks about AIDS, black slavery, Catholic priest pedophiles, Conservatives, liberals, communists, capitalists, men, women, 9-11, Cancer, gays, and Jesus hanging on the cross.... none of which caused the kind of 'institutionalized' response we see here.

When I did a little search for some background I found this list of link 'hits'' ....

• Von Trier 'joke' far from funny to festival board
  
• Director's shame casts pall over classy Cannes
  
• Cannes Bans Unrepentant "Nazi" Lars Von Trier, Damien Hirst Joins Ai Weiwei Protest
  
• Were the organisers of the Cannes festival right to ban Lars von Trier?
  
• Lars von Trier Admits to Being a Nazi, Understanding Hitler (Cannes 2011)
  
• Lars Von Trier: 'I'm A Nazi... I Understand Hitler'
  
• Lars Von Trier's 'Nazi' gaffe at Cannes Film Festival as he jokes about Adolf Hitler
  

Now some say this is just a sample of understated Danish humor being confabulated into outrage by the media (although "why" escapes me.)

Others say that this is a more sinister pervasive meme being forged into the mainstream.

Take a look here:



I'm curious, is this guy guilty of something other than a failed attempt at being funny? Or is he propagating some kind of offense that can be defined as "mockery or casual self-promotion"?

reply to post by Maxmars

I'm curious, is this guy guilty of something other than a failed attempt at being funny? Or is he propagating some kind of offense that can be defined as "mockery or casual self-promotion"?

I think both. The irony in this is, you cant pronounce certain words or certain opinions. The world is hypocrite. Everything now has to be "politically correct", which is a veiled form of censorship. Its the "harry potter" thing (lol), dont tell that name or something will come out of the closet(and will crush you).

Lars von Trier is a great director, and has poits of view different of us. But my question is, he was trying be funny or he tried to make a plot about what the irony is. What is art anyway? Damn shame the private sector has so little respect for free speech.

I dont know, but I think Kirsten Dunst did not saw that comming.

There is a psychological explanation for all human actions, the good ones AND the bad ones. The same with Hitler. And that explanation makes us understand him, not agree with him.

Whatever Von Trier wanted to do there, I must admit that this guy has guts.

S&F

the key point is what did he understand ? ethnic cleansing ? world domination ? insanity ? heavy drug use ? occult ?

I really don't care, but it's pretty dumb to go on record with it

Originally posted by syrinx high priest
the key point is what did he understand ? ethnic cleansing ? world domination ? insanity ? heavy drug use ? occult ?

I really don't care, but it's pretty dumb to go on record with it

You are right. The question is: Why USA brought (and hired) nazis to the land? (no one will banish the United States because of it, or we will?)

This is pretty stupid too:

Nazis Were Given ‘Safe Haven’ in U.S., Report Says

At least, USA tried to hide these facts.

reply to post by syrinx high priest

Yet, it appears to be no secret that von Trier is married to a person of Jewish faith, and is not a Nazi.

But wait, USA is "married" with Israel too. So...

Lars Von Trier protested against Denmark's participation in the war in Iraq. He was seen on a picture standing with blood running down his shoulder with a text directed to the Primer Minister. He said on a press conference: "Dk is a nation under bad influence, because Bush is an a***ole!". "I have high moral standards. An opressed people is always weak. When they knock on our door its not a crime [...] I hate how we treat immigrants. Like Nazis treated Jews..we treat Muslims."

Von Trier a nazi?

"I am very much for Jews. No, not too much, because Israel is a pain in the ass."

I like this man.

It's kinda crazy, I mean I haven't seen any of his movies, but you can certainly "understand" someone and at the same time disagree with him or find him "evil". I mean, there's plenty of academic study and fascination with historical "villains" and other crazy, evil, no-do-gooders that we have seen throughout the world...I don't think there's anything wrong, either, in trying to study them and understand what made them "tick", in some cases people do portray, as a means of "understanding" some of these people's lives in a human way...certainly it's been done before in various biopics and hollywood films...so what's wrong with trying to "understand"? "Understanding" is different than "agreeing" or "endorsing", these people should know that. Certainly if you don't "understand" some of these things you are bound to repeat them, as the saying goes. Right?

There's certainly many taboo subjects out there that will get you swiftly punished for mentioning (i.e. anti-zionism, palestine)...it's sad though because as a free nation we are supposed to value free speech and academic debate...censoring different view points means that the level of innovation and academic discovery will be stifled.