I Am Dina
Encyclopedia
I Am Dina is a 2002
Swedish
-Norwegian
-Danish
film
directed by Ole Bornedal
. It is based on the 1989 book Dinas bok (Dina's Book) by Herbjørg Wassmo
. The movie was one of the most high-profile in Norwegian
movie history.
When Dina (Maria Bonnevie) is old enough, she marries Jacob and moves to Reinsnes, a port he runs with his mother, Karen, and his stepsons Niels and Anders. Niels doesn't like Dina's wild ways, nor the fact that she has taken over accounting duties at Reinsnes. As Dina's eccentric tendencies become even stronger, Jacob suffers gangrene poisoning after breaking his leg when he falls of the roof of his mistress' house while trying to fix a leak. As Jacob does not appear to be getting better and takes a turn for the worst, Dina takes him on sled to the top of a cliff and pushes him off to his death, hoping to end his suffering and send him to a better place. Jacob's death brings Tomas back into her life and the two have a passionate affair. Several months later, she gives birth to baby boy that she names Benjamin, that she presumably had with Tomas. She then learns of Lorch's death when the latter bequeaths her his cello and his Writer's Reference.
When Benjamin is a several years old, he accidentally sets fire to the barn. Dina falls in love with a courageous, handsome Russian named Zhukovsky (Christopher Eccleston) who rushes into the burning barn to save her beloved horses. It turns out Zhukovsky had seen Dina several years ago in Bergen
and was smitten by her, and has come to Reisnes to court her. However, he leaves suddenly and Dina forces herself on Tomas.
Niels, deep into alcoholism, rapes a servant named Stina. When Dina finds out, she issues an ultimatum to Niels: Marry Stina or leave for America. Neils will not countenance marrying a servant, but cannot afford to leave for America. Zhukovsky then returns to Reisnes to take a prisoner back to Bergen. When a drunken Niels staggers into the house, Dina announces that he too will soon be leaving, to America. Niels then decides to ask Stina to marry him, but she refuses. Overcome with rage, Niels hangs himself.
Dina's father then announces to Dina that Zhukovsky is an anarchist involved in a plot against the King, and is to hang. A distraught Dina rushes to Bergen to try and exonerate Zhukovsky. But when she visits him in prison and her visit's time is up, Dina attacks the guards, who then brutalize her, causing her to lose her baby with Zhukovsky. On the way back to Reisnes, she is saved by Anders, who stops her bleeding. Her appeal is successful however, and Zhukovsky is released, though no one has seen him since. Several weeks later, Dina nearly drowns while teaching Benjamin how to sail but is miraculously saved by Zhukovsky who is on a nearby steamer. In her near death state, she dreams that she kills Zhukovsky when he announces that he is leaving her again. Dina then comes to, and asks if Zhukovsky is going to leave her again. Zhukovsky says he will always be leaving her, though he says he will always be coming back.
There was some controversy surrounding the casting of the movie, as it was felt by many that Gørild Mauseth
was the right choice for the part. In the end the casting of Maria Bonnevie
was accepted, though the movie took in far less in ticket sales than it had cost to produce.
2002 in film
The year 2002 in film involved some significant events. The first significant releases of sequels took place between The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones, Men in Black II, Analyze That, Spy Kids 2: The Island of...
Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
-Norwegian
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
-Danish
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...
film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
directed by Ole Bornedal
Ole Bornedal
Ole Bornedal is a Danish film director, actor and producer.He wrote and directed Nattevagten , a thriller about a law student who works in a morgue as a night-watchman, and becomes implicated in a series of murders of prostitutes...
. It is based on the 1989 book Dinas bok (Dina's Book) by Herbjørg Wassmo
Herbjørg Wassmo
Herbjørg Wassmo is a Norwegian author. She worked as a teacher in northern Norway until her debut as an author. Her debut work was a collection of poems, "Vingeslag"...
. The movie was one of the most high-profile in Norwegian
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
movie history.
Plot
In Northern Norway during the 1860s, a little girl named Dina accidentally causes her mother's death. Overcome with grief, her father refuses to raise her, leaving her in the care of the household servants. Dina grows up wild and unmanageable, with her only friend being the stable boy, Tomas. She summons her mother's ghost and develops a strange fascination with death as well as a passion for living. Family friend Jacob (Gérard Depardieu) encourages Dina's father to hire Chris Lorch, a tutor of American English, who introduces her to the cello. When Jacob asks for Dina's hand in marriage, Dina refuses. Her outraged father slaps her, prompting Dina to attack him. Known that Lorch and Dina have grown close, her father retaliates by sending Lorch away, devastating Dina. Unable to come to terms with Lorch's departure, Dina nearly kills Lorch in a fit of insanity.When Dina (Maria Bonnevie) is old enough, she marries Jacob and moves to Reinsnes, a port he runs with his mother, Karen, and his stepsons Niels and Anders. Niels doesn't like Dina's wild ways, nor the fact that she has taken over accounting duties at Reinsnes. As Dina's eccentric tendencies become even stronger, Jacob suffers gangrene poisoning after breaking his leg when he falls of the roof of his mistress' house while trying to fix a leak. As Jacob does not appear to be getting better and takes a turn for the worst, Dina takes him on sled to the top of a cliff and pushes him off to his death, hoping to end his suffering and send him to a better place. Jacob's death brings Tomas back into her life and the two have a passionate affair. Several months later, she gives birth to baby boy that she names Benjamin, that she presumably had with Tomas. She then learns of Lorch's death when the latter bequeaths her his cello and his Writer's Reference.
When Benjamin is a several years old, he accidentally sets fire to the barn. Dina falls in love with a courageous, handsome Russian named Zhukovsky (Christopher Eccleston) who rushes into the burning barn to save her beloved horses. It turns out Zhukovsky had seen Dina several years ago in Bergen
Bergen
Bergen is the second largest city in Norway with a population of as of , . Bergen is the administrative centre of Hordaland county. Greater Bergen or Bergen Metropolitan Area as defined by Statistics Norway, has a population of as of , ....
and was smitten by her, and has come to Reisnes to court her. However, he leaves suddenly and Dina forces herself on Tomas.
Niels, deep into alcoholism, rapes a servant named Stina. When Dina finds out, she issues an ultimatum to Niels: Marry Stina or leave for America. Neils will not countenance marrying a servant, but cannot afford to leave for America. Zhukovsky then returns to Reisnes to take a prisoner back to Bergen. When a drunken Niels staggers into the house, Dina announces that he too will soon be leaving, to America. Niels then decides to ask Stina to marry him, but she refuses. Overcome with rage, Niels hangs himself.
Dina's father then announces to Dina that Zhukovsky is an anarchist involved in a plot against the King, and is to hang. A distraught Dina rushes to Bergen to try and exonerate Zhukovsky. But when she visits him in prison and her visit's time is up, Dina attacks the guards, who then brutalize her, causing her to lose her baby with Zhukovsky. On the way back to Reisnes, she is saved by Anders, who stops her bleeding. Her appeal is successful however, and Zhukovsky is released, though no one has seen him since. Several weeks later, Dina nearly drowns while teaching Benjamin how to sail but is miraculously saved by Zhukovsky who is on a nearby steamer. In her near death state, she dreams that she kills Zhukovsky when he announces that he is leaving her again. Dina then comes to, and asks if Zhukovsky is going to leave her again. Zhukovsky says he will always be leaving her, though he says he will always be coming back.
Themes
The main theme of the movie is death, and Dina's inability to let go of those she loves. Dina almost kills Lorch when she finds out he is leaving her, kills her husband Jacob (as a mercy killing) when she thinks he is dying in pain, and kills Zhukovsky in a dream where he tells her he is leaving her.Casting
The movie features an actress named Dina K who lives in the United States but was born in Jerusalem, Israel. Though the movie is set in 1860s Norway, all the dialogue is in English, resulting in a variety of accents throughout the movie.There was some controversy surrounding the casting of the movie, as it was felt by many that Gørild Mauseth
Gørild Mauseth
Gørild Mauseth is a Norwegian actress. After graduating from the Norwegian National Academy of Theatre, she has worked at both Den Nationale Scene and Nationaltheatret . She is best known for her movie and television roles, that include "Deadline Torp" and Når mørket er forbi...
was the right choice for the part. In the end the casting of Maria Bonnevie
Maria Bonnevie
Anna Maria Cecilia Bonnevie is a Norwegian-Swedish actress. She was born in Västerås, Sweden, but she grew up in Oslo, Norway. Her parents, both actors, are the Norwegian actress Jannik Bonnevie and Swedish actor Per Waldvik...
was accepted, though the movie took in far less in ticket sales than it had cost to produce.