Lars von Trier
Born: 1956-04-30 in Copenhagen, Denmark
Known For: Directing
Biography
Lars von Trier (born Lars Trier; 30 April 1956) is a Danish film director and screenwriter. He is closely associated with the Dogme 95 collective, although his own films have taken a variety of different approaches. He is known for his female-centric parables and his exploration of controversial subject matter. Von Trier began making his own films at the age of 11 after receiving a Super-8 camera as a gift, and his first publicly released film was an experimental short called The Orchid Gardener, in 1977. His first feature film came seven years later, The Element of Crime, in 1984. As of 2010, he has directed a further 10 feature films, 5 short films and 4 television productions. He has been married twice and is currently married to Bente Frøge. Von Trier suffers periodically from depression, as well as various fears and phobias, including an intense fear of flying. As he himself once put it, "Basically, I'm afraid of everything in life, except filmmaking".
Filmography
2025
- Being Bo Widerberg as Self
2022
- Creation of the Kingdom of Exodus as Self / Director / Devil
2020
- The Idiots Who Started The Party as Sig selv
- Lars von Trier: The Burden From Donald Duck as Lars von Trier
2018
- The House That Jack Built ... (Story)
- Bergman: A Year in a Life as Self
- Living the Light: Robby Müller as Self
2017
- Plankton Salesmen as Self (archive footage)
2014
- Arteholic as Self
2013
- Nymphomaniac: Vol. II ... (Director)
- Nymphomaniac: Vol. I ... (Director)
- Trespassing Bergman as Self
- Colors as Fuck Putas Edition
2012
- Side by Side as Self
- A Royal Affair ... (Executive Producer)
2011
- The Story of Film: An Odyssey as Self
- Melancholia ... (Director)
2010
- Dimension ... (Director)
- … But Film Is My Mistress as Self
2009
- Antichrist ... (Director)
2008
- Ernst-Hugo as Self
2007
- To Each His Own Cinema as The filmmaker (segment "Occupations")
- The Early Years: Erik Nietzsche Part 1 as Narrator (voice)
- Cinema 16: European Short Films (U.S. Edition) ... (Director)
- Filmbyen: The New Mecca of Cinema as self
2006
- The Boss of It All as Narrator (uncredited)
- Cinema 16: European Short Films (European Edition) ... (Director)
2005
- Klovn as Lars von Trier
- Manderlay ... (Director)
- Dear Wendy ... (Screenplay)
- A Conversation with Lars von Trier as Interviewee
- Le court des grands ... (Director)
- Idiotic Filters
- Tilbageblik på Idioterne as Self - director
- The Road to Manderlay as Self - director
- Looking Back At The Idiots
- All About Anna ... (Executive Producer)
2004
- Stephen King's Kingdom Hospital ... (Story)
- Dogville Confessions as Self
- Visions of Europe ... (Producer)
- Kingdom Hospital ... (Writer)
- The South ... (Producer)
2003
- Dogville ... (Director)
- Dogville: The Pilot ... (Director)
- The Five Obstructions as Self / Obstructor (segment "The Conversations")
- Inside Björk as Self
- The Purified as Himself
- Trier, Kidman og Cannes as Self
- Screaming Men ... (Thanks)
2001
2000
- Dancer in the Dark ... (Director)
- Italian for Beginners ... (Associate Producer)
- D-Day ... (Director)
- Von Trier's 100 Eyes as Self
- FreeDogme as himself
- The Exhibited
- The Name of This Film Is Dogme95 as Self
- Kayaking On The Top Of The World ... (Executive Producer)
- 100 Cameras: Capturing Lars von Trier's Vision
- Playing the Fool as Self
- 100 Cameras: Capturing Lars von Trier's Vision
- HotMen CoolBoyz ... (Producer)
1999
- Dogma 95, a Serious Game? as Self
- The Copyist as Self
1998
- The Idiots as Interviewer (voice) (uncredited)
- The Kingdom II as Self (uncredited)
- The Humiliated
- Lars From 1 - 10
- In Doctor von Trier's Laboratory: Back to the Magic of Cinema as Self
- Ironie und Gottessuche - Das Kino des Lars von Trier as Self
- Constance ... (Producer)
1996
- Breaking the Waves ... (Director)
1995
- I Am Curious, Film as Self
1994
- The Kingdom ... (Director)
- The Kingdom as Self (uncredited)
1993
1991
- Europa as Jew
- Trier's Element as Himself
- The Making of Europa as Self - Director
- Portrait of Lars von Trier as Himself
1989
- Medea ... (Director)
1987
- Epidemic as Self / Dr. Mesmer
1986
- Sauna ... (Director)
1984
- The Element of Crime as Schmuck of Ages
- Ennenstadt Europa – The Making of The Element of Crime as Self - Film Director
1982
- Images of Liberation ... (Writer)
1980
- Nocturne ... (Director)
- Kaptajn Klyde og hans venner vender tilbage
1977
- The Orchid Gardener as Victor Morse
1971
- A Flower ... (Director)
1970
1969
- Clandestine Summer as Lars
- Clandestine Summer as Lars Johansen
- Goodbye, I'm Kurt as Børge
1968
1967
- The Trip to Squash Land ... (Director)
1964
- Grimme Award as Self