Princess

What’s it about?
Director Anders Morgenthaler transfixes us with a tale of naivety, religion, revenge and the porn industry. Orphaned as a teenager Christina is inadvertently dragged into the porn film industry by her boyfriend Charlie and Brother August. After her taste of ‘fame’ as the Princess, August can’t persuade her to stop. Transfixed by guilt and growing anger after her death, he starts on a terrible campaign to rid the world of the Princess materials and get revenge for his young niece Mia.

Highs n lows
This is an unusual and highly charged look into the world of pornography, and the impact it might have on the families of porn stars. In an unusual and successful mixing of two media, the characters’ back stories are told using grainy film footage, whilst current events unfold in anime inspired animation which somehow serves to lesson the impact of both the violence and evidence of child abuse shown - although it is no less shocking. Anime fans will want to know that the animation is made the most of in the violent scenes, which probably would have been too much to take had they been in real life footage, particularly as August is meant to be a priest.

Asked to say a few words before the start of the film Morgenthaler, said he wanted to make “a fairytale on top of social realism.” He’s definitely succeeded – you’ll need to see the film to understand what he means.

Is it any good?
4 out of 5. No matter what your views on the issues explored by this film, you’ll find it both gripping, shocking, and a real talking point. In Danish with English subtitles.