“A modern fairy tale”—on May 14, see award-winning director Bille August’s new film The Kiss (Kysset, Denmark, 2022) in New Nordic Cinema!

Set in Denmark in 1913, the story follows Anton (Esben Smed), a noble and conscientious young man, whose top priority is to complete his training as a cavalry officer. During a training session he orders his platoon to help Baron von Løvenskjold (Lars Mikkelsen) and finds himself invited to a ball at the castle, where he meets the Baron’s beautiful daughter, Edith (Clara Rosager), who has been wheelchair-bound following an accident. As Anton feels a growing compassion towards Edith, he struggles with identifying whether his feelings are of pity or true love. He soon becomes entangled in promises, lies and responsibility toward the Løvenskjold family and to Edith.

Based on Beware of Pity, the 1939 novel by Stefan Zweig, Bille August’s new film has been acclaimed as “a modern fairy tale about complicated love and impatient hearts” (Ekko).