ACCUSED

Accused is a dramatic new addition to the school of bold and compelling Danish cinema. At first glance, Henrik, Nina and Stine seem to comprise a perfectly average family. Henrik is a swimming teacher and his wife, Nina, is a secretary. If this well-heeled, middle-class couple have a problem at all then it's their 14-year-old daughter; Stine's going through a difficult phase. Then one day Henrik is arrested and charged with a serious crime, perhaps the most heinous crime that a father could face. Confronted with the weight of community fear and trepidation, his whole world falls apart. This feature debut of director Jacob Thuesen is, however, more than a simple exploration of crime and consequence. With its taut and precise portrayal of the realities of arrests, interrogations, custody battles and trials, Accused is a psychological drama that provokes and challenges perceptions right to its very end. It featured in competition at the 2005 Berlin Film Festival.---D Jacob Thuesen P Thomas Heinesen S Kim Fupz Aakeson WS Nordisk Film L Danish w/English subtitles TD 35mm/col/2005/103mins Jacob Thuesen was born in Denmark in 1962. His films include Under New York (1996, short), Life Insurance (2003, short).