Lars von Trier makes awkward Hitler jokes at Cannes, people inevitably catch feelings!

[Dr Doom]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LayW8aq4GLw

Cannes condemns von Trier after Hitler remarks

CANNES, France – Danish filmmaker Lars von Trier was condemned and declared "persona non grata" Thursday by the Cannes Film Festival for saying that he sympathizes with Adolf Hitler.

A statement from Cannes organizers castigated von Trier for his comments a day earlier. It is an unprecedented move by the festival that bestowed its highest honor on the director's film "Dancer in the Dark" back in 2000.

Christine Aime, who heads the festival press office, said von Trier's current film, "Melancholia," remains in competition but that if it wins anything at Sunday's closing ceremony, von Trier "won't be there to receive the prize."

At a news conference for the film Wednesday, von Trier said in a rambling speech that he understood and sympathized with Hitler. He said afterward he had been joking and later issued an apology.

The festival statement said the Cannes board of directors "firmly condemns these comments and declares Lars von Trier a persona non grata at the festival."

The festival "provides artists from around the world with an exceptional forum to present their works and defend freedom of expression and creation," the statement said. The board "profoundly regrets that this forum has been used by Lars von Trier to express comments that are unacceptable, intolerable, and contrary to the ideals of humanity and generosity that preside over the very existence of the festival."

On Wednesday, von Trier told reporters at the "Melancholia" news conference that he had some compassion for Hitler.

"What can I say? I understand Hitler, but I think he did some wrong things, yes, absolutely. But I can see him sitting in his bunker in the end," von Trier said. "He's not what you would call a good guy, but I understand much about him, and I sympathize with him a little bit. But come on, I'm not for the Second World War, and I'm not against Jews. ...

"I am very much for Jews. No, not too much, because Israel is a pain in the ass."

Von Trier went on to say he admired Hitler aide Albert Speer. The remarks came as von Trier discussed his German heritage.

In an interview afterward, von Trier said he had been joking and that the remarks had spilled out without any forethought.

"I don't have so much to say, so I kind of have to improvise a little and just to let the feelings I have kind of come out into words," von Trier told The Associated Press. "This whole Nazi thing, I don't know where it came from, but you spend a lot of time in Germany, you sometimes want to feel a little free and just talk about this (expletive), you know?"

Jewish groups condemned von Trier's remarks and quickly applauded the festival's measures against the director Thursday.

"This is a welcome action which declares to the world that the suffering of victims is not a fit subject for mockery or casual self-promotion," Elan Steinberg, vice president of the American Gathering of Holocaust Survivors and their Descendants, said in a statement. "The organizers of the Cannes film festival have eloquently taken a determined moral stand against cavalier expressions of hate and insensitivity to those brutalized by the Nazis — Jew and non-Jew."

Cast members of "Melancholia," including Kirsten Dunst, Charlotte Gainsbourg and John Hurt, sat uncomfortably alongside von Trier as the director made his Hitler remarks. At one point, Dunst leaned over and whispered to von Trier, "Oh my God, this is terrible."

Dunst said in an interview later that von Trier was embarrassed by the remarks.

"He likes to run his mouth," Dunst said. "I think he dug himself in a deep hole today."

[Dr Doom]

It should also be noted that Cannes has never had a problem with having Roman Polanski, child rapist, around.

[Krypto]

It should also be noted that Cannes has never had a problem with having Roman Polanski, child rapist, around.

Fucking kids and fleeing the country is more acceptable that saying words about a dead guy you might have identified with on some level, don't you know.

Least he's still got work lined up, it's not like he is John Galliano and has ruined his entire career. Mel Gibson has said a lot worse and he got invited to The Beaver's premiere.

[KTULU]

lmao

people have thin skin

[Broddie]

The french are clearly still aggy that the germans beat them like a bunch of red headed stepchildren once upon a time.

[Dr Doom]

Supposedly he also talked about making a hardcore porno next, and asked Dunst and Gainsbourgh if they were interested in starring in it, lol.

[Broddie]

LMAO he was reaching hard to change the topic I see. That's what happens when you're nervous but they couldn't even sympathize with the humanity of him being conscious of his faux pas either. Fucking clowns. Here's the movie industry which is supposedly sooooo pro-free speech specially in century #21 and yet this of all things rings alarms.

The dude basically said he could understand why Hitler looked at suicide as a viable option in comparison to him finding out that his parents were nazi's. That type of reveal (my parents were pure fucking villains) would make anybody want to hurt themselves. It's not like he's saying "yeah man I think his uses of ovens was quite innovative" or some shit. The context was pretty clear. LOL@ Polanski probably getting a standing ovation that same evening. SMH.

[Dr Doom]

And let's not forget that Von Trier is well-known for suffering of depression on top of always trolling journalists in general. This is typical "let's blow it up in the media" nonsense.

[JxXxR]

LOL it's a wrap for dude, i understood what he meant but the way he kept rambling on and stumbling over his words, the way he conveyed them it was taken as literal and not really 'jokey'

[Dr Doom]

LOL it's a wrap for dude, i understood what he meant but the way he kept rambling on and stumbling over his words, the way he conveyed them it was taken as literal and not really 'jokey'

That's why you can clearly hear people in the room laugh, right? I mean, it's obvious he stumbled over his words and couldn't get his point across, but the guy was clearly joking with it.

[JxXxR]

That's why you can clearly hear people in the room laugh, right? I mean, it's obvious he stumbled over his words and couldn't get his point across, but the guy was clearly joking with it.

ppl were laughing at the 'obviously it's a joke' part that he said, but the laughing was mostly uncomfortable 'ha ha...this is awkward' laugh...but that's how i perceived it

[Dr Doom]

The best part is that this was the reason given to ban him:

“The Festival de Cannes provides artists from around the world with an exceptional forum to present their works and defend freedom of expression and creation. The Festival’s Board of Directors, which held an extraordinary meeting this Thursday 19 May 2011, profoundly regrets that this forum has been used by Lars Von Trier to express comments that are unacceptable, intolerable, and contrary to the ideals of humanity and generosity that preside over the very existence of the Festival. The Board of Directors firmly condemns these comments and declares Lars Von Trier a persona non grata at the Festival de Cannes, with effect immediately.”

lol @ saying you provide a forum where freedom of expression are defended, only to turn around on it when that expression is something deemed 'intolerable'. And like Krypto said, Mel Gibson is walking around on Cannes as well to promote The Beaver, but apparently that's fine because his drunken antisemitic and misogynistic rants didn't happen during the festival. Hypocrisy goes a loooong way.

[JxXxR]

that's fucked up lol again the Mel Gibson thing comes to mind imo lol

[Dr Doom]

Von Trier explains what any person with sense already knew:


Interview in the Israel newspaper Haaretz

Speaking to Haaretz, he said, "I lived most of my life as a Jew. I wore a skullcap when I had to and laid stones on tombstones in cemeteries. My mother wasn't Jewish, but my father, or the man I thought was my father, was. But then I found out that my father wasn't my father and my real father was German."

He added, "And instead of saying I was actually German at the news conference on Wednesday, in my characteristic haste and because I couldn't stand the man who turned out to be my biological father, despite my mother's telling me he was charming, I said with a kind of typical Danish humor that most people don't understand that I was a Nazi. But I'm not."

Von Trier continued, "It was a stupid joke. But that's the kind of humor I use when I talk to my friends, who know me and know I'm not a Nazi. I apologize profoundly for offending people. It was not my intention. I've also offended Germans, when instead of saying 'German' I used the word 'Nazi,' as though every German is a Nazi."

And then went on to say this:


He also said he didn't know if he would ever sit for another news conference. "I'm not sure I'll leave Denmark again," he said, though anyone who knows Von Trier knows that tongue-holding is not something he practices often. He did say he was eager to return to his home country, where he plans on shooting both a soft-core and hard-core porn movie.

"I want to be surrounded by porn people who love me for what I am, who say, 'Where do you want the erection, where do you want the penetration.' Where it's not complicated. There wouldn't be a porn star running out there saying 'Lars said this or Lars said that.'"

So yeah, the guy is awesome, lol.