A new cinematic movement called ‘Dogma 25’ was launched at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival by a group of five Danish filmmakers: May el-Thouky (‘Queen of Hearts’, ‘The Crown’), Milad Alami (‘The Charmer’, ‘When the Dust Settles’), Isabella Eklöf (‘Holiday’, ‘Kalak’), Annika Berg (‘Hurricane’) and Jesper Just. It draws inspiration from the original Dogma 95 movement founded by Lars von Trier and Thomas Vinterberg, aiming to preserve artistic integrity in filmmaking through a new manifesto and “vows of chastity”.
Key points about Dogma 25:
– It emphasizes a return to physical reality, aesthetic restraint (at least half the film must be dialogue-free), and economic and geographic accountability (films must be shot in actual, relevant locations).
– The manifesto bans internet use in creative processes and insists on handwritten scripts to nurture intuition.
– Funding is accepted only if it does not influence content.
– The movement opposes formulaic, algorithm-driven films and artificial aesthetics, promoting flawed, unique, human storytelling.
– Dogma 25 is described as a “rescue mission and a cultural uprising” to defend artistic freedom against conformity and commercialization.
The initiative is supported by Zentropa, the Danish Film Institute, and key figures from the original Dogma 95, including von Trier and Vinterberg, who see it as a way to reclaim Danish cinema in a world of conflict and unpredictability. In summary, Dogma 25 is a bold new wave in Danish cinema that seeks to revive radical artistic filmmaking principles for the digital age and current geopolitical challenges.
Read more on Euronews.com, Variety.com
