I am delighted to see that Another Round, directed by Thomas Vinterberg (co-founder of Dogme 95 movement) made it to the BAFTA 2021 Film Not in the English Language longlist!
Another Round is about four middle-aged schoolteachers who decide to add excitement to their lives by experimenting with alcohol. There is an obscure philosophical theory that humans should have been born with a small amount of alcohol in our blood; that modest inebriation opens our minds to the world around us, diminishing problems and increasing creativity. Intrigued, Martin (Mads Mikkelsen) and three of his friends embark on a risky experiment to maintain a constant level of intoxication throughout the workday. Initial results are positive, but as the units are knocked back and stakes are raised, it becomes increasingly clear that some bold acts carry severe consequences.
Another Round is a life-affirming movie, a story about embracing life and friendship, of ordinary people in extraordinary situations. We all recognise what two glasses of wine does to you, right? That “magical zone” as the lead Mads Mikkelsen put it one of his interviews. Alcohol has been around for thousands of years; it has been used to get close to the Gods!
The creative journey of Another Round, from idea to the screen in 2020, took seven years; five days into the shoot, the director, Thomas Vinterberg lost his 19-year-old daughter to a tragic car accident. She was going to be in the film! He went on to finish the film as a tribute to her memory, a heart-breaking experience. Even though there is a lot of sadness in the film, as Mad Mikkelsen shares, “it is a life-embracing film” which has resonated with audiences like me.
Another Round has already enjoyed critical acclaim, awards and commercial success following its premiere in Toronto in September 2020. It has won numerous prizes and became the top box-office hit of Denmark in 2020, in-between lockdowns.
If you do manage to watch this film on the big screen or the streaming platforms, I urge you to stay to the end because Another Round has one of the best endings of the year, a beautiful internal dance from Mad Mikkelsen, one of the most lauded final film scenes in years!
Watch the film trailer here and stream it here.
About Parminder Vir OBE
Parminder Vir OBE has dedicated herself to positively impacting and transforming lives through a professional career spanning 40 years in philanthropy, entrepreneurship, film and television production, arts and culture, and investment funding. She is the co-founder of the Support4AfricaSMEs campaign and The African Farmers Stories, launched in 2020. She served as the CEO of the Tony Elumelu Foundation, based in Lagos, Nigeria from April 2014 to April 2019. Prior to joining the Foundation, Parminder has enjoyed a distinguished career as an awarding winning film and television producer and private equity investor in film and media.
