The Danish Newspaper “BT” Thursday the 25th of July.

My friend Vinterberg

by Susanne Johansson in New York

"Hvordan går det" Joaquin Phoenix asks in what you in a diplomatic way
would call charming but in broken Danish, and at the same time he looks
proud but also a bit embarrassed. " I just can't speak
that language" he says. " No matter how much I tried and wanted to learn
it, it was practically impossible for me to learn"
Joaquin Phoenix had the opportunity to learn it for several months last
year. He was spending the months in Copenhagen during the shootings of
Thomas Vinterberg's upcoming movie " It is all about love" where he has
the main role. But where the Danish language gave him
difficulties, Copenhagen sure did not. " I had a wonderful time there"
the 27-year old American movie star says. He enjoyed himself during his
stay in Copenhagen and he spent a lot of time on his bike. He has just
as good memories when it comes to the director Thomas Vinterberg, who
has become one of his friends.

Very refined.

"At first I was very surprised. I had seen "The Celebration" and I knew
about the whole Dogme-Manifesto, so when I received the manuscript I
expected it to be similar to that. Instead it turned out to be as
Anti-Dogme as you could imagine. Very refined and plenty of greenscreen.
(scenes that are shot in front of a green screen and thereafter the background are added in digital)
And Thomas has to be the happiest director I have ever met. Which in fact in reality is more Danish than it is Thomas. But he has an incredible warmth and a face that……those eyes, beautiful eyes, makes you feel very comfortable and safe in his company. That is how it has been with him since our first meeting. I was in Germany shooting “Buffalo Soldier” when he came down to meet me. I remember I looked at the parking lot and saw this figure. I knew right away that it had to be him and I could not help smiling. Just by looking at him I just had this really great feeling. A feeling which later proved correct. He became a really good friend so it has been an incredible experience working with him “ Joaquin Phoenix says.
“It is all about love” will probably have premiere in the beginning of 2003. But already next month we can enjoy Joaquin Phoenix in M. Night Shyamalans new thriller “Signs.”

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