Tree of Knowledge
Kundskabens træ
Århus in the late 1950s: Elin already knows more about love than the other boys and girls of her class – this puzzles/attracts the former while making the latter anxious, jealous and angry. Niels-Ole, all the while, has his eyes set on a girl from a form below. Tree of Knowledge is something like an experiment in real time, as Malmros shot his film over the course of two years so his young actors could mature at exactly the same pace as their characters. Befitting of study in mores and time, Tree of Knowledge is composed of anecdotes and episodes, telling details, fleeting glances and gestures – the stories of Elin, Niels-Ole and the other youngsters who, for a moment, are given centre stage only to melt back into the group are but fine arcs holding the various movements and impressions gently together. A prime example for Malmros’s poetics of humility.
Film details
- Country of production
- Denmark
- Year
- 1981
- Festival edition
- IFFR 2014
- Length
- 110'
- Medium/Format
- DCP
