Home   >   Movie Dictionary   >   Dogme 95

Dogme 95

Dogme 95 is a movement in filmmaking developed in 1995 by the Danish directors Lars von Trier, Thomas Vinterberg, Kristian Levring, and Soren Kragh-Jacobsen. This movement is sometimes known as the Dogme 95 collective. The goal of the collective is to instill a sense of simplicity in filmmaking, free of postproduction modifications and other gimmicks. The emphasis on purity in the formation of the film places a focus on the actual story and the performance of the actors. For someone experiencing the film, there is an increase in engagement as the viewer realizes the lack of overproduction, and becomes more concerned with the narrative and mood. In order to further this goal, von Trier and Vinterberg developed a set of ten rules that a Dogme film must conform to. These rules, referred to as the Vow of Chastity, are as follows:
  1. Shooting must be done on location. Props and sets must not be brought in (if a particular prop is necessary for the story, a location must be chosen where this prop is to be found).
  2. The sound must never be produced apart from the images or vice versa. (Music must not be used unless it occurs where the scene is being shot).
  3. The camera must be hand-held. Any movement or immobility attainable in the hand is permitted. (The film must not take place where the camera is standing; shooting must take place where the film takes place).
  4. The film must be in colour. Special lighting is not acceptable. (If there is too little light for exposure the scene must be cut or a single lamp be attached to the camera).
  5. Optical work and filters are forbidden.
  6. The film must not contain superficial action. (Murders, weapons, etc. must not occur.)
  7. Temporal and geographical alienation are forbidden. (That is to say that the film takes place here and now.)
  8. Genre movies are not acceptable.
  9. The film format must be Academy 35mm film.
  10. The director must not be credited.
In certain cases, the titles of Dogme films are superfluous, since they are also referred to by numbers. The spririt of the Dogme technique was hinted at by Lars Von Trier's film Breaking the Waves. The first of the Dogme films was Vinterberg's 1998 film Festen, known in English by the title The Celebration and Dogme 1. Festen was highly acclaimed by many critics, and won the Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival that year. Von Trier's first Dogme film, The Idiots, or Dogme 2, was less successful. Since those two original films were released, other directors have participated in the creation of Dogme films. For example, the American director Harmony Korine created the movie Julien Donkey-Boy which is also known as Dogme 6.

For more information, see www.dogme95.dk

A related British literary movement, called the New Puritans, espouses similar values for the writing of fiction.

List of Dogme films

  1. Festen
  2. Idioterne
  3. Mifunes Sidste Sang
  4. The King Is Alive
  5. Lovers
  6. Julien Donkey-Boy
  7. Interview
  8. Fuckland
  9. Babylon
  10. Chetzemoka's Curse
  11. Diapason
  12. Italiensk For Begyndere
  13. Amerikana
  14. Joy Ride
  15. Camera
  16. Bad Actors
  17. Reunion
  18. Et Rigtigt Menneske
  19. Naar Nettene Blir Lange
  20. Strass
  21. En Kaerlighedstorie
  22. Era Outra Vez
  23. Resin
  24. Security, Colorado
  25. Converging With Angels
  26. The Sparkle Room
  27. Come Now
  28. Elsker Dig For Evigt
  29. The Bread Basket
  30. Dias De Boda
  31. El Desenlace
  32. Se Til Venstre, Der Er En Svensker
  33. Residencia
More Filmbug  favorites:  Indiana Jones | Movie History | Blu-Ray | Movie Aspect Ratios | Film Noir | Movie Crew