Villa paranoia

Erik Clausen's "Villa Paranoia" is a satire, psychological drama and comedy all rolled into one. The favorite film of the general public, actually more important than the jury prize, at the 2005 Rouen, Festival of Nordic Cinema was Erik Clausen's brilliant bittersweet dramatic comedy, "Villa Paranoia", which was also selected by the European Youth Jury indicative of its appeal to cinephiles of all ages. The following day I travelled with director-actor Clausen to the remote French town of Mamers, Pays de Loire, for a provincial festival of new European cinema, where "Villa Paranoia" picked up three more prizes -- Best film, Professional Jury; Best Film, Audience prize; and Best film of another youth jury composed of "lycéens", French high school students. Five prizes in a single weekend -- not a bad haul for a film from a small country with unknown actors. In addition, "Villa" was awarded the Grand Prix, the Maverick Spirit Award, at San Jose, California, just a week ago, by distinguished British actor Sir Ben Kingsley ("Ghandi"), making it a grand total of six prizes in a single week.

If Lars van Trier has put Denmark on the offbeat-oddball Dogma Cinematic map in recent years, there is now a good chance that Veteran Maverick Erik Clausen (62) and his capable crew of actors will soon show the world that Denmark has more to offer than dogmatic drivel, In this case a mass audience pleaser for young and old alike. Moreover, the female lead of his film, Sonja Richter, (born 1974) has such a magical screen presence that, with a little more exposure, she stands a good chance of becoming the next international Scandinavian Diva. Sonia was also fantastic in the Susan Blier film "Open Hearts" (Elsker dig for evigt) opposite major Danish star Mads Mikkelsen, at this festival in 2002.

For the record, "Villa Paranoia" is a fiction film, written, directed, and acted in by the multi-faceted Mr. Clausen, and employing certain motifs from Molière's "The Imaginary Invalid". PLOT: Anna (Sonia Richter), an ambitious young actress, has lost a deeply coveted role in the Moliére play and reduced to making an utterly stupid TV chicken commercial is on the verge of suicide. However, Jorgen (Clausen) who runs a massive chicken farm sponsoring the TV spot offers her a job with room and board taking care of his cantankerous, senile, wheel-chair ridden father, Walentin, (Frits Helmuth) who has not spoken a word since his wife Stella committed suicide years before. Anna is the only one who eventually finds a way of communicating with the hostile silent old grouch -- and moreover, discovers that he has been faking deafness and immobility all these years -- a living "Malade Imaginaire". This will lead to her playing the greatest role of her own life in order to uncover the dark secret which led to Walentin's total withdrawal from life and reality. Villa "Paradise-Paranoia", true to the Moliere tradition from which it is partially derived, is a heartwarming, multi-layered, serio-comic psycho-drama that literally has something for everybody and only needs proper placement to attain the kind of general international outreach it richly deserves.

ALEX, Rouen, March 21, 2005

(Unfortunately, the international promotion VILLA needed was not forthcoming and this remarkable film was lost in the shuffle of unforgettable forgotten films)

Alex,Rouen,March 21, 2005

ROUEN PRIZES AND THE TRIUMPH OF "VILLA PARANOIA" The favorite film of the general public, actually more important than the jury prize, was Erik Clausen's brilliant bittersweet dramatic comedy, "Villa Paranoia", which was also selected by the European Youth Jury indicative of its appeal to cinephiles of all ages. The following day director-actor Clausen traveled to the remote Town of MAMERS, Pays de Loire, for a provincial festival of new European cinema, where "Villa Paranoia" picked up three more prizes -- Best film, Professional Jury; Best Film, Audience prize; and Best film of another youth jury composed of "lycéens", French high school students. Five prizes in a single weekend -- not a bad scoop for a film from a small country with unknown actors. In addition, "Villa" was awarded the Grand Prix, the MAVERICK SPIRIT AWARD, at San Jose, California, just a week ago, by distinguished British actor Sir Ben Kingsley ("Ghandi"), making for a grand total of six prizes in a single week. If Lars van Trier has put Denmark on the offbeat-oddball Dogma Cinematic map in recent years, there is now a good chance that Veteran Maverick Erik Clausen (62) and his capable crew of actors will soon show the world that Denmark has more to offer than dogmatic drivel, which is to say, a mass audience pleaser for young and old alike. Moreover, the female lead of his film, Sonja Richter, has such a magical screen presence that, with a little more exposure, she stands a good chance of becoming the next international Scandinavian Diva. For the record, "Villa Paranoia" is a fiction film, written, directed and acted in by Mr. Clausen, and employing certain motifs from Moliere's "The Imaginary Invalid". Anna (Richter), an ambitious young actress, has lost a deeply coveted role in the Moliere play and, reduced to making an utterly stupid TV chicken commercial, is on the verge of suicide. However, Jorgen (Clausen) who runs a massive chicken farm sponsoring the spot, offers her a job with room and board taking care of his cantankerous, senile, wheel-chair ridden father, Walentin, who has not spoken a word since his wife Stella committed suicide years before. Anna is the only one who eventually finds a way of communicating with the hostile silent old grouch -- and moreover, discovers that he has been faking deafness and immobility all these years -- a living "Malade Imaginaire". This will lead to her playing the greatest role of her own life in order to uncover the dark secret which led to Walentin's total withdrawal from life and reality. Villa "Paradise-Paranoia", true to the Moliere tradition from which it is partially derived, is a heartwarming, multi-layered, serial-comic psycho-drama that literally has something for everybody and only needs proper placement to attain the kind of general international outreach it richly deserves. Alex Deleon, Paris / 21 MARCH, 2005

For those astute spectators who thought that Danish cinema was all about Dogma type over the top, hype films than you are for a shock. There is not an ounce of doubt that Danish dogma films were good. The only bad thing about them is that people were getting used to the idea that Danish cinema belongs exclusively to Lars Von Trier. But as is wont with intelligent viewers, fastidious film lovers are always desirous of exploring new facets of cinemas unknown to them. It is with this idea that one must watch this film. Villa Paranoia is directed by Erik Clausen who is a much respected veteran of Danish cinema.He has made a simple film which entertains its viewers nicely. At a close look, it has moments of romantic alliance between its leading players. At the same time it tackles serious issues too.It talks of issues like old people, unemployment, love and affection. Directing oneself in one's own film is a serious challenge. However, Erik Clausen proved his critics wrong by giving fine performances as an actor. A DVD of this film is available from K-films.

Being from Canada, I cannot say whether this film is original in the context of Danish cinema - unfortunately, we, here, do not get to see many Danish films in a year! I also cannot comment on Clausen's acting in the context of his other roles - I personally found him quite believable - a touching monstrosity of a man, this Jorgen! As for the actor who played Kenneth - why would his participation in a TV show rule him out as an actor - aren't we over such elitist attitudes? International viewers unaware of his Big Brother participation will find him a fair actor.

In spite of the movie's faults (the writing could have been subtler in some instances), I do subscribe to what one could call the 'message' of the film - namely art's essential role in everyday life, art as healing force. Art, as Nietzsche said, sanctifies the lie ('Kunst heiligt die Luege') - it is a holy lie: the wedding scene is fabulous in this sense - a theatrical, not religious, wedding, celebrating love and life as play...

A typical Clausen film, but then again not typical. Clausen writes, directs and play one of the leading roles. This is really a great film about normal people living normal lives trying to make the best of it. The 4 primary actors were fantastic.

Fritz Helmut was convincing. You believe that he really is sick.

Sonja Richter plays a nurse that really is an actor, but it turns out that she is the best nurse to take care of the old man.

Everybody has problems and those who nobody believes in ends up being happy. But nothing good comes easy, they have to fight to win their life and love.