Melancholia
Short description
Melancholia follows two sisters whose fragile bond is tested as a newly discovered planet drifts toward Earth. Justine's wedding celebration at the estate of her sister Claire and brother-in-law John begins badly and unravels further as the bride withdraws from the festivities, unsettling her husband and guests. Meanwhile, the approaching planet casts an ominous light over the proceedings. As it draws closer, the sisters' roles reverse: the despondent Justine becomes composed and clear-headed, while the ordinarily level-headed Claire slides into panic as she, Justine and her young son confront what may be coming.
Lars von Trier wrote and directed this drama with science-fiction elements, the thirteenth of the seventeen films he has directed in chronological order, arriving between Antichrist and Nymphomaniac: Vol. I. Kirsten Dunst plays Justine and Charlotte Gainsbourg plays Claire, with Kiefer Sutherland, Alexander Skarsgård, Cameron Spurr and Stellan Skarsgård in supporting roles. Meta Louise Foldager and Louise Vesth produced the German-Danish-French-Swedish co-production, which had a budget of about 7 million USD and took roughly 16 million USD worldwide.
On IMDb, the film holds 7.1 out of 10 from around 207,000 votes, matching its 7.1 on TMDB from roughly 3,900 votes, while a critics' rating stands at 7.5 out of 10 from 210 reviews.
What's left behind the scenes
- Penelope Cruz was originally slated to play the role of Justine. However, she dropped out of the process due to her involvement in filming “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides”.
- The idea for the film originated with Lars von Trier during a psychotherapy session while being treated for depression.
- When Melancholia flies closest to Earth and is just rising above the horizon, the characters look through a telescope aimed much higher than necessary.
- Prior to the film's premiere in Cannes, another scandal involving Lars von Trier occurred at a press conference. The director succumbed to a provocation from a journalist who hinted at the maestro's German origins, to which von Trier reacted inappropriately, making an incorrect remark about Jews and Hitler, and later issued an official apology.
- The heroine Kirsten Dunst was named by von Trier after the work of Marquis de Sade, "Justine".
- Much of Justine's personality was based on Trier's own personality.
- The film was shot in Trollhättan, Sweden.
- “Melancholia” is the second film in the “depression trilogy,” which also includes “Antichrist” (2009), and “Nymphomaniac: Part 1 and Nymphomaniac: Part 2” (2013).
Auditions in India
Casting calls in USA
Castingi w Polsce
Кастинги в Україні
