1 / 8
RUNTIME
Did you know
Clocks in at 157 minutes — on the longer side of feature-length cinema.
MoodPlayr · trivia#01
Pelle the Conqueror
"They thought the world would be theirs."
1987 2h 37m DA
👍
7.3
SOLID
★7.3TMDB · 171
Drama
Synopsis
Spoiler shield
In the late 19th century, two Swedish emigrants, Lasse Karlsson and his son Pelle, arrive on the Danish island of Bornholm hoping to find work on a farm and save enough money to travel to the United States of America.
“They thought the world would be theirs.”
Cast
Pelle Hvenegaard
Pelle Karlsson
Max von Sydow
Lasse Karlsson - Farmhand
Erik Paaske
Stengården Foreman
Björn Granath
Erik - Swedish Farm Worker
Astrid Villaume
Mrs. Kongstrup
Axel Strøbye
Kongstrup - Kungsgården Landlord
Troels Asmussen
Rud - A Boy
Kristina Törnqvist
Anna - Stengården Maid
Credits
Behind the camera
- Director
- Bille August
- Writers
- Per Olov Enquist, Bille August, Bjarne Reuter
- Languages
- Danish, Swedish
- Countries
- Denmark, Sweden
Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.
Did you know?
Fun facts 🍿
2 / 8
ERA
Did you know
39 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
MoodPlayr · trivia#02
3 / 8
WORLD
Did you know
Dialogue crosses 2 languages: Danish, Swedish.
MoodPlayr · trivia#03
4 / 8
WORLD
Did you know
International production across 2 countries: Denmark, Sweden.
MoodPlayr · trivia#04
5 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Directed by Bille August, shot by Jörgen Persson. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
MoodPlayr · trivia#05
6 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Original score by Stefan Nilsson. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
MoodPlayr · trivia#06
7 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Editor Janus Billeskov Jansen shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
MoodPlayr · trivia#07
8 / 8
CAST
Did you know
Pelle Hvenegaard and Max von Sydow and Erik Paaske carry the top of the cast.
MoodPlayr · trivia#08
Cinephile deep dive
The take
Bille August directs. Jörgen Persson behind the camera. Stefan Nilsson scores. Janus Billeskov Jansen cuts. Produced in Denmark, Sweden. Dialogue in Danish, Swedish.
Trivia
Things worth knowing
- 1Clocks in at 157 minutes — on the longer side of feature-length cinema.
- 239 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
- 3Dialogue crosses 2 languages: Danish, Swedish.
- 4International production across 2 countries: Denmark, Sweden.
- 5Directed by Bille August, shot by Jörgen Persson. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
- 6Original score by Stefan Nilsson. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
- 7Editor Janus Billeskov Jansen shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
- 8Pelle Hvenegaard and Max von Sydow and Erik Paaske carry the top of the cast.
- 9Marketing tagline: "They thought the world would be theirs.".
- 10IMDB entry: tt0093713 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
- 11Classified under 12 themes, including "farm", "island", "based on novel or book", "farm worker".
The technical file
- Cinematography
- Jörgen Persson
- Original score
- Stefan Nilsson
- Editing
- Janus Billeskov Jansen
- Production design
- Anna Asp
- Makeup / hair
- Kaj Grönberg
- Sound
- Niels Arild Nielsen
- Runtime
- 157 min · 2h 37m
- Status
- Released
- Original language
- DA
Awards
- Palme d'Or
- Academy Award for Best International Feature Film
- Golden Globe Award for Best Non-English Language Film
- Guldbagge Award for Best Film
- European Film Award for Best Young Actor or Actress
- Greta
- Guldbagge Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role
- European Film Award for Best Actor
- Bodil Award for Best Danish Film
- Bodil Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Individual records documented via Wikidata; the summary above may count more.
Also by
Bille August
Trailers & featurettes
Watch the pieces
Production companies
Who made it
SF Studios
SE
- PE
Per Holst Filmproduktion
DK
Svenska Filminstitutet
SE
Det Danske Filminstitut
DK
Key crew
- NovelMartin Andersen Nexø
- EditorJanus Billeskov Jansen
- Executive ProducerKatinka Faragó
- Executive ProducerKlas Olofsson
- Executive ProducerPeter Poulsen
- Script SupervisorStine Monty Freddie
- Special EffectsMichael Kvium
- Costume DesignerKicki Ilander
- Makeup SupervisorKaj Grönberg
- Camera OperatorRolf Lindström
- Special EffectsLasse Spang Olsen
- Key GripEg Norre
- Assistant DirectorMads Egmont Christensen
- GafferKent Högberg
- Sound MixerLars Lund
- Special EffectsClaus Bjerre
- Executive ProducerClaes Kastholm Hansen
- Unit ManagerJens Arnoldus
- Sound Re-Recording MixerNiels Arild Nielsen
- Sound EditorMartin Schmidt
- Key GripOtto Stenov
- Sound EffectsJérôme Lévy
- Sound MixerNiels Arild Nielsen
- Special EffectsKristian Lund
Themes & keywords
What it's about, really
- farm
- island
- based on novel or book
- farm worker
- bullying
- working class
- poverty
- class differences
- bornholm
- emigrant
- 19th century
- father son relationship
Release history · US
When it landed
- Premiere1988-09-30· New York Film Festival
- Theatrical1987-12-21
