At the gala opening of Copenhagen International Film Festival 2007 film producer Per Holst will receive a Lifetime Achievement Award. Per Holst will be given the award for his contribution to the Danish film industry for over 40 years.


Extract from the motivation speech

"...Tonight we celebrate someone with a unique talent for both helping a project spring to life and a cunning gift for taking it all the way to the big screen, a producer and an inextinguishable fiery soul, who have had a major influence on Danish cinema as we know it (...).

He was behind all the important Danish films of the 80s, nursed and worked with the most outstanding directors: Nils Malmros with Tree of Knowledge, Bille August with Pelle the Conqueror and Lars von Trier with The Element of Crime. These artistic triumphs won the filmmakers a slew of awards including Golden Palms and an Oscar, but this at the same time idealistic and pragmatic soul did not rest on his laurels. He went on to look for new talents he could spar with and struggle for (...).

In 2007, his 40th year as an independent producer, he is behind no less than two new releases, and shows no sign of slowing down. But we ask him to pause for just a second to receive this Lifetime Achievement Award from the Copenhagen International Film Festival."

The award will be handed to Per Holst by Henning Camre and Jacob Neiiendam.

About Per Holst

Per Holst was born in 1939. He began his long career in the Danish film industry at Nordisk Reklamefilm in 1957. In 1967, he went on to form his own company, Petra Film, where he made over 50 commercials a year. Holst made his debut as a feature director in 1973 with The Hour of Departing, but is best known for his long-time work as a film producer. He has produced a wealth of popular and outstanding films, amongst others Benny's Bathtub (1971), Zappa (1983), The Element of Crime (1984), Pelle the Conqueror (1987), Let's Get Lost (1997) and I Am Dina (2002).