Lasse Noer and Kim Magnusson (‘Knight of Fortune’): ‘Grief and laughing are not so far away from each other’ [Exclusive Video Interview]
“I just try to enjoy it,” declares writer and director Lasse Noer about his first brush with potential Oscar glory. Noer’s film “Knight of Fortune” has been shortlisted for Best Live Action Short at the upcoming 96th Academy Awards. In an exclusive chat with Gold Derby (watch the video above), Noer and the film’s producer, Kim Magnusson, discuss the film’s melding of humor and grief and the important role that short films play in fostering new talent.
“Knight of Fortune” follows Karl (Leif Andrée) as he visits a morgue to say goodbye to his deceased wife. Karl encounters Torben (Jens Jørn Spottag), a fellow widower burdened by his own grief. The film deftly balances sorrow and humor, something the filmmakers said was crucial to the film’s intent. “I think that grief and laughing are not so far away from each other,” argues Noer. “I think it’s this defense mechanism we have in ourselves that for maybe two or three seconds, we forget about the pain or the the loss we go through.”
For Magnusson, a two-time Oscar winner in the Live Action Short category– the appeal of the film came down to both the arc of the film as well as Noer’s ability to blend both the comic and the tragic. “This has everything that a short film needs,” he explains. “I always say that if you can tell those kinds of stories, which are so important, with a twist of humor, then I feel you are very well off.”
Noer intentional gave the film an ambiguous ending, leaving the audience to consider what the future might hold for the two main characters. When asked whether he could envision a feature film that expands the characters’ story, Noer is direct. “I don’t think I will right now because I love the feeling that we leave them just watching through the door,” he says. “I like that we have something for the audience to think about when they leave the cinema.”
Magnusson’s work in short film continues to inspire him, in part do the medium’s ability to showcase young talent. “You don’t do short films to try to make money in the film industry, for sure,” he says. “For me, the short film is really where I get to learn and work with the filmmakers to see if it’s somebody I want to work with.” In working with Noer, Magnusson says the young filmmaker has certainly proven himself. “I think Lasse has proven his worth already tenfold or hundredfold because I really think it’s great film.”