The Danish Girl (film)

The Danish Girl

Company type	Film
Industry	Motion picture
Founded	2015
Founder	Tom Hooper (director)
Products	Biographical romantic drama film
Parent	Working Title Films

The Danish Girl is a 2015 biographical romantic drama helmed by director Tom Hooper, adapted from the 2000 novel by David Ebershoff. The story draws loose inspiration from the lives of Danish painters Lili Elbe and Gerda Wegener. Eddie Redmayne portrays Elbe, one of the earliest individuals known to have undergone gender reassignment surgery, while Alicia Vikander plays Wegener, and Sebastian Koch appears as Kurt Warnekros. Supporting performances include Ben Whishaw, Amber Heard, and Matthias Schoenaerts.

Produced by Working Title Films alongside other companies, the film was made on a $15 million budget and earned $64.2 million globally. It was part of the competition at the 72nd Venice International Film Festival and also screened in the Special Presentations section at the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival. Distributed in the United States by Focus Features on 27 November 2015, and internationally through Universal Pictures beginning 1 January 2016, the release was strategically aimed at award season audiences.

Although some critics highlighted historical inaccuracies, both Redmayne and Vikander received significant praise, with Vikander winning the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress and Redmayne earning a nomination for Best Actor. Additionally, the film secured Academy Award nods for Best Production Design and Best Costume Design at the 88th Academy Awards. At the 69th British Academy Film Awards, it achieved five BAFTA nominations, including Best British Film.

Plot

Set in 1920s Copenhagen, portrait painter Gerda Wegener supports her husband, Einar Wegener, a well-known landscape artist who is a closeted trans woman. While Gerda is skilled, she has yet to attain Einar’s level of acclaim.

Following a dismissive response from a museum curator regarding her artwork, Gerda requests that Einar pose as a female subject for one of her paintings. This experience awakens Einar’s feminine persona, who emerges as Lili.

Gerda encourages Einar to attend an artists’ ball dressed as Lili. They prepare by applying makeup, selecting attire, and adopting feminine behaviors. At the event, Lili spends time with Henrik Sandahl, causing tension when Gerda later discovers them sharing a kiss.

Gerda presents portraits of Lili to the curator, who agrees to display them. Lili visits Henrik again but becomes upset when he addresses her as "Einar." She confides in Gerda about her complicated emotions and past experiences.

Gerda takes Einar to Doctor Hexler, who administers treatment involving radiation but subsequently attempts to have him institutionalized for perversion.

Relocating to Paris, Lili and Gerda find that Gerda’s portraits of Lili receive considerable attention from art dealers—unlike her previous work. Gerda reconnects with Hans Axgil, an art dealer who was both Lili’s childhood friend and former romantic interest. Their growing attraction adds complexity to Gerda’s evolving relationship with Lili. Hans offers support to both.

As Einar’s struggle with gender identity intensifies, he seeks psychological assistance on Hans’s advice but encounters misunderstanding and incorrect diagnoses. Eventually, following a recommendation from Ulla Poulsen, they consult Dr. Kurt Warnekros, experienced with transgender patients.

Dr. Warnekros suggests an innovative and high-risk male-to-female sex reassignment surgery. This procedure occurs in two phases: first removing external genitalia, then constructing a vagina later. Despite potential risks and its experimental nature, Lili consents and travels alone to Germany for surgery.

Initially remaining behind, Gerda soon joins Lili to aid in her recovery. Lili works selling women’s perfume before deciding to undergo the second operation alone, which deeply upsets Gerda.

Following the second surgery, Lili is frail but insists on going outdoors. She ultimately dies due to complications with Gerda present at her side. Grieving, Gerda and Hans visit a hilltop in Denmark where Hans and Lili spent their youth—viewing landscapes that inspired Einar’s artwork—highlighting their connection to Lili.

The scarf given to Gerda by Lili is carried away by the wind, symbolizing their lasting bond.

Cast

• Eddie Redmayne portraying Lili Elbe
• Alicia Vikander as Gerda Wegener (née Gottlieb)
• Matthias Schoenaerts in the role of Hans Axgil (Fernando Porta)
• Ben Whishaw playing Henrik Sandahl (Claude Lejeune)
• Amber Heard as Ulla Poulsen
• Sebastian Koch as Dr. Kurt Warnekros
• Pip Torrens cast as Dr. Jens Hexler
• Nicholas Woodeson in the role of Dr. Buson
• Emerald Fennell portraying Elsa
• Adrian Schiller as Rasmussen
• Henry Pettigrew in the role of Niels
• Pixie featured as Hvappe, the Jack Russell dog

Development

The screenplay was crafted over a period exceeding ten years by writer Lucinda Coxon, who began working on it in 2004. She highlighted early excitement from actors and considerable interest from numerous prominent actresses for the part of Gerda, while casting Lili proved challenging due to the film’s sensitive themes. Each incoming director contributed their own version of the script.

In September 2009, director Tomas Alfredson announced plans to commence production before directing Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. However, by December of that year, Alfredson departed to concentrate fully on Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, though he expressed a desire to return in the future.

On 12 January 2010, Swedish filmmaker Lasse Hallström was revealed as Alfredson’s successor.

Casting

Originally in 2008, Nicole Kidman was attached both as lead actress portraying Lili and producer through her company Blossom Films. Initially, Charlize Theron was cast as Gerda Wegener but was replaced by Gwyneth Paltrow, who later exited due to changes in filming locations. Rumors also linked Uma Thurman to the role, with Marion Cotillard emerging as a frontrunner by 2010.

On 11 June 2010, The Hollywood Reporter disclosed that the production secured €1.2 million ($1.5 million) in funding from Germany’s NRW Film Board, contingent upon a 19-day shoot within Germany. By February 2011, Screen Daily reported filming was scheduled to begin in July with Rachel Weisz cast as Wegener; however, both Weisz and Hallström left the project by May.

On 28 April 2014, it was confirmed that director Tom Hooper would helm the film, with Eddie Redmayne cast in the lead role. While working on Jupiter Ascending, Redmayne sought guidance from Lana Wachowski regarding character development. Subsequently, on 19 June 2014, Alicia Vikander joined the ensemble, followed by the addition of Matthias Schoenaerts on 8 January 2015.

Filming

Principal photography was initially slated to commence in Spring 2010 in Berlin. In an interview with Creative Screenwriting, Coxon revealed that when filming finally started under Hooper’s direction, an earlier version of the script was utilized:

We had probably gone through 20 drafts before landing Tom Hooper. In fact, the one we shot was actually an early revised draft that Tom had read back in 2008. I did a fairly large rewrite for Tom, but in the end, we used a version with little revision from the original.

Filming began in February 2015 and included sequences shot at Nyhavn, where the waterfront was recreated to evoke 1930s-era Copenhagen. Interior sets representing Danish and Parisian apartments were constructed at Elstree Studios, located near London, with additional scenes filmed on location in Copenhagen and Brussels. The production wrapped on 12 April 2015 after a total of 44 shooting days covering 186 scenes across six countries.

Post-production

The post-production phase concluded in September 2015. Composer Alexandre Desplat mentioned that the editing process moved swiftly, with the musical score being recorded merely a week prior to the film’s debut at the Venice Film Festival. Director Hooper clarified that the film’s conclusion differs from both the original novel and actual events by minimizing the Hans narrative to maintain the focus on the primary romantic connection between Lili and Gerda. His intention was to create ambiguity regarding Gerda and Hans’s relationship in order to safeguard the central bond between Lili and Gerda.

In a separate interview, Alicia Vikander disclosed that two dance sequences involving Amber Heard were removed, and that the first version of the film ran longer than two hours.

Release

On 4 March 2015, Focus Features announced plans for a limited release set for 27 November 2015. The film had its world premiere at the 72nd Venice Film Festival on 5 September 2015. Distribution outside of the United States was handled by Universal Pictures, which released it in the United Kingdom on 1 January 2016.

Home media

In the United States, the film became available on DVD and Blu-ray formats beginning 1 March 2016.

Marketing

The initial promotional image showcasing Redmayne as Lili Elbe was revealed on 26 February 2015. This was followed by poster releases featuring both Redmayne and Vikander in August. The first official trailer premiered on 1 September 2015, with the inaugural film clip released later on 19 November 2015.

Box office

The Danish Girl earned $11.1 million domestically in North America and $53.1 million internationally, culminating in a global total of $64.2 million against a production budget of $15 million.

The movie opened with a limited release across four theaters in New York and Los Angeles on 27 November 2015 before expanding its reach in December. It generated $185,000 during its opening weekend, averaging $46,250 per location—ranking as the sixth highest per-theater average for films released in 2015. The audience demographic consisted of approximately 58% women and 67% aged over 40.

Critical response

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 66% based on 245 critiques, with an average score of 6.6 out of 10. The site's summary reads: "The Danish Girl offers another platform for Eddie Redmayne's exceptional talent while delivering a beautifully shot biographical drama that thoughtfully addresses complex themes." On Metacritic, it has garnered a score of 66 out of 100 from 41 critics, reflecting "generally favorable reviews."

FilmDebate, an independent review platform, labeled it as "the most significant film of 2015," commending both its narrative and performances as essential viewing material.

The performances by Redmayne and Vikander were widely praised; Marie Asner from Phantom Tollbooth emphasized that "the acting is what elevates this film." Jim Schembri of 3AW described Redmayne's portrayal as "yet another exemplary demonstration of his deep immersion into roles," while Linda Cook from Quad-City Times characterized it as "intimate, heartrending, and credible."

However, some critiques emerged: Kyle Buchanan from Vulture suggested that the film follows a pattern where "queer and transgender narratives are framed through straight perspectives." Paul Byrnes writing for The Sydney Morning Herald regarded it as "a missed opportunity," noting that while costumes were convincing, emotional depth was lacking. Transgender author Casey Plett criticized the screenplay in The Walrus, calling it "dreadful and dull," likening its tone to a combination of Shakespearean tragedy and immature verbosity.

Debates and Criticism

The Danish Girl encountered backlash for its perceived likeness to forced feminization erotica, which many argued detracted from the authentic narrative of a pioneering transgender woman. Additionally, the film was scrutinized for relying on a dramatized version rather than a precise biography of Elbe and Wegener. The casting of Eddie Redmayne, a cisgender male actor, in the role of a transgender woman also drew significant criticism. Redmayne himself addressed this issue in a 2015 Indiewire interview, describing it as an "incredibly important discussion."

In a 2018 GQ feature, Redmayne admitted to having reservations about taking on the role, and by 2021 he openly expressed regret, stating: "I made that film with the best intentions, but I think it was a mistake. The bigger discussion about frustrations around casting is because many people don’t have a chair at the table. There must be a leveling, otherwise, we are going to carry on having these debates."

Oscar Nomination Debate

Alicia Vikander secured the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance, marking the film's only Oscar win out of four nominations. Controversy arose over her nomination in the Supporting Actress category despite appearing on screen for approximately one hour—half of the movie's total length—qualifying her for Best Actress consideration. The film’s distributor, Focus Features, promoted her as a supporting actress to avoid competing against Brie Larson in Room, thereby enhancing her chances of winning. This tactic ignited discussions around "category fraud." At both the Golden Globes and BAFTAs, Vikander was nominated as Best Actress for The Danish Girl and as Supporting Actress for Ex Machina, ultimately losing both awards to Kate Winslet for Steve Jobs.

Accuracy of Historical Depiction

• The narrative draws from David Ebershoff's novel The Danish Girl, which incorporates fictional elements. Director Tom Hooper has indicated that the film strives to be more faithful to historical events than the book.
• Lili and Gerda relocated to Paris in 1912; however, the movie implies their move occurred in the late 1920s. Paris during the 1910s and 1920s was known for its liberal atmosphere, attracting them there; Gerda lived openly as a lesbian.
• The portrayal of Lili being assaulted in Paris while disguised as a man due to being mistaken for a lesbian is not based on real events.
• After her transition, Lili’s full name was Lili Ilse Elvenes; the simplified name "Lili Elbe" used in the film was coined by journalist Louise "Loulou" Lassen.
• Gerda divorced Porta in 1936, had no children, never remarried, returned to Denmark, and died impoverished in 1940. The character Hans Axgil is an invented composite inspired by Porta; Porta was not known to be Lili’s childhood friend.
• Elbe passed away in 1931 at age 48 due to organ rejection following her fifth surgery (a uterus transplant), whereas the film depicts her death after only the second sex reassignment procedure.

Bans

The movie faced prohibition in Qatar on grounds of "moral corruption" and was also restricted in countries including the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, and Malaysia.

See also

• List of feature films with transgender characters
• List of lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender-related films of 2015