Gabriel Axel
Encyclopedia
Gabriel Axel is an Oscar
winning Danish film director, actor, writer and producer, best known for the Oscar-winning Babette's Feast
(1987), which he wrote and directed.
Born in Århus, Denmark
, on April 18, 1918, Axel spent most of his childhood in France
, and returned to Denmark to train as an actor at the Royal Danish Theatre
. After spending some years in Paris
, working with the Louis Jouvet
theatre ensemble, Axel concentrated his efforts on directing for the theatre, television and cinema in Denmark.
With some 16 feature films to his credits Axel returned to France
where he directed several large projects for television, which brought him a number of distinguished honours.
In 1988, Gabriel Axel won an Academy Award
for his Danish feature film Babette's Feast, an adaptation of Isak Dinesen's novel of the same name.
His other notable films include the popular comedy Familien Gyldenkål (1975) and its sequel; a series of sexually oriented features including the pro-porn propaganda film Det kære legetøj
(1968); as well as a series of Shakespearean Viking dramas, including Den røde kappe (1967), which received the Grand Prix de la Technique at the 1967 Cannes Film Festival
.
In 2003, Gabriel Axel received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Copenhagen International Film Festival
.
Academy Awards
An Academy Award, also known as an Oscar, is an accolade bestowed by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers...
winning Danish film director, actor, writer and producer, best known for the Oscar-winning Babette's Feast
Babette's Feast
Babette's Feast is a 1987 Danish film directed by Gabriel Axel. The film's screenplay was written by Axel based on the story by Isak Dinesen , who also wrote the story which inspired the 1985 Academy Award winning film Out of Africa...
(1987), which he wrote and directed.
Born in Århus, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, on April 18, 1918, Axel spent most of his childhood in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, and returned to Denmark to train as an actor at the Royal Danish Theatre
Royal Danish Theatre
The Royal Danish Theatre is both the national Danish performing arts institution and a name used to refer to its old purpose-built venue from 1874 located on Kongens Nytorv in Copenhagen. The theatre was founded in 1748, first serving as the theatre of the king, and then as the theatre of the...
. After spending some years in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, working with the Louis Jouvet
Louis Jouvet
Louis Jouvet was a renowned French actor, director, and theatre director.- Life :Overcoming speech impediments and sometimes paralyzing stage fright as a young man, Jouvet's first important association was with Jacques Copeau's Théâtre du Vieux-Colombier, beginning in 1913...
theatre ensemble, Axel concentrated his efforts on directing for the theatre, television and cinema in Denmark.
With some 16 feature films to his credits Axel returned to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
where he directed several large projects for television, which brought him a number of distinguished honours.
In 1988, Gabriel Axel won an Academy Award
Academy Awards
An Academy Award, also known as an Oscar, is an accolade bestowed by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers...
for his Danish feature film Babette's Feast, an adaptation of Isak Dinesen's novel of the same name.
His other notable films include the popular comedy Familien Gyldenkål (1975) and its sequel; a series of sexually oriented features including the pro-porn propaganda film Det kære legetøj
Det kære legetøj
Det kære legetøj , made in 1968 by Oscar-winning director Gabriel Axel, is a Danish propaganda feature film advocating the legalizing of pornography....
(1968); as well as a series of Shakespearean Viking dramas, including Den røde kappe (1967), which received the Grand Prix de la Technique at the 1967 Cannes Film Festival
1967 Cannes Film Festival
-Jury:*Alessandro Blasetti *Georges Lourau *Sergei Bondarchuk *René Bonnell *Jean-Louis Bory *Miklós Jancsó *Claude Lelouch *Shirley MacLaine...
.
In 2003, Gabriel Axel received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Copenhagen International Film Festival
Copenhagen International Film Festival
Copenhagen International Film Festival is a film festival held in Copenhagen, Denmark. It was first held in 2003, and is held annually. The main award at the Copenhagen International Film Festival is the Golden Swan, which will be awarded for Best Film, Best Director, Best Actress, Best Actor, Best...
.