On October 4, one of American cinema’s great directors comes to the National Film School of Denmark, as two-time Oscar winner Alexander Payne joins us for an exclusive masterclass about his work, his artistic signature and his filmography. And perhaps we’ll also get to talk about Payne’s upcoming Danish film project. Before the masterclass, we will screen his acclaimed masterpiece Nebraska.

It’s not every day that one of Hollywood’s most distinguished directors comes visits us at The National Film School of Denmark.

But October 4 is one of those days.

Alexander Payne will join us at the National Film School of Denmark for a masterclass, discussing his career, following a screening of 'Nebraska', which earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Director in 2014.

Payne is one of the most distinctive names in contemporary American cinema. Since making his feature debut with 'Citizen Ruth' in 1996, he has created a string of films that have made his particular blend of humour, melancholy and social observation his trademark.

'Election'. 'About Schmidt'. 'Sideways'. 'The Descendants'. 'Nebraska'. 'The Holdovers'.

It’s quite a list.

And few directors have managed to develop such a distinctive cinematic signature while achieving the broad audience appeal that Payne has. His films have earned numerous Academy Award nominations and two Oscars – for the screenplays for 'Sideways' and 'The Descendants'. Most recently, 'The Holdovers' received five Oscar nominations, including Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay.

And almost exactly a year ago, it was announced not only that Payne would direct his first European feature film, but that the film – Et sted derude – would be shot largely in Denmark and be predominantly in Danish.

That is a remarkable event.

Payne is one of the most prominent directors of his generation, and it is rare for filmmakers of such international stature to choose Denmark as the setting for their projects.

And on October 4, you have a unique opportunity to meet him at the Film School in Holmen.

Payne studied at the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television, and has spoken on several occasions about the formative importance of his time at film school. It was there that he found himself among people who, like him, lived and breathed cinema – where film was not simply something you watched, but something you discussed, analysed and dreamed about and with.

Now he is returning to a film school.

And we are very much looking forward to it.

The conversation will be moderated by head of programme at CPH:DOX, Mads Mikkelsen.

Programme

11:00 – Screening: Nebraska
13:00 – Break (30 min.)
13:30 – Masterclass, Part 1 (50 min.)
14:20 – Break (10 min.)
14:30 – Masterclass, Part 2 (60 min.)
15:30 – End

About the film

In Nebraska, we meet ageing Woody Grant (played by Bruce Dern), who is convinced that he has won a million dollars in a sweepstakes. When he sets off on a stubborn journey to Nebraska to claim his prize, his son David eventually decides to go with him.

The film is at once a road movie, a father-son story and a bittersweet portrait of an America on the verge of being forgotten. Shot in black and white and marked by Payne’s characteristic blend of understated humour and melancholy, Nebraska became one of the director’s most acclaimed films.

The film received six Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor and Best Supporting Actress.