NiELS BOHR - LARGER THAN LIFE, 77min., Denmark, Documentary
Directed by Marie Breyen, Anna von Lowzow
Niels Bohr - Larger Than Life” is an international documentary film that has great relevance to the world of today, with a war in Europe and the importance of co-operation between nations and science.
The story is about one of the world's greatest scientists and his Institute - Niels Bohr, who received the Nobel Prize in 1922 for his ground-breaking model of the atom. At the time no-one imagined that his Institute would accommodate 27 Nobel Prize recipients and be the leading centre for quantum mechanics, thus laying the bricks for the computer revolution but also for the most powerful man-made weapon ever created.
It is a drama with conflicts between The Soviet Union, Germany, England, and the USA during WW2. Winston Churchill wanted Niels Bohr imprisoned, the Germans invited Niels Bohr to work for them, Stalin took a shortcut by sending a KGB agent to Copenhagen and President Roosevelt started the Manhattan Project in which Niels Bohr soon became a key person in developing the atom bomb. It was a matter of time.

Get to know filmmakers Anna von Lowzow and Marie Breyen:

1.What motivated you to make this film?
The years 2021 and 2022 was the 100 years anniversary for the Niels Bohr Institute and The year that Niels Bohr received Denmark’s first Nobel prize In physics. Years before that we decided to do the documentary so that it could be part of the anniversary.

2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you
to make this film?
We started in 2019, discussing finding the founding ect. So the production was quite long, held by covid 19 which meant that we had some break in-between where we couldn’t work.

3.How would you describe your film in two words!?
Important and riverting

4.What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?
Covid 19 absolutely, it was quite difficult planning filming etc.. In between total lockdowns, fortunately Denmark was one of the first countries in the world where we could open because almost everyone got the vaccine fast – so we managed.

5. What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking
about your film in the feedback video?
It was absolutely wonderful to hear the reactions, it was similar to many of the reactions we had here in Denmark, and the fact that the film has the same influence whether you are in Denmark or USA is interesting and seldom.

6. When did you realize that you wanted to make films?
Well, we both started young in our 20 ties, so we have been making film, series ect. for more than a decade (30 years plus) – we love the way to work, the possibilists to be creative and most important for us is to make films that give our audience something to bring home, something meaningful, learnings of the world we live in and the people that are amongst us and the imprint they have made on our life.
Actually, we have been very close friends fore more that 25 years – working together on and off. This was thou the first film we have done together where we were both Directors, it worked better that we had imagined, we have different skills and together we could create a film with that extra that we think Niels Bohr Larger Than Life has.

7. What film have you seen the most in your life?
We couldn’t tell – a lot and different films.

8. What other elements of the festival experience can we and other
festivals implement to satisfy you and help you further your filmmaking
career?
Well, we haven’t really done much festival before – but with this film we found that we had something that was of great importance for more that the audience in Denmark, therefore we have send it to some festival – your festival was the first we heard from – and its therefore really a honor that you chose it. If you can help us to get it known, it is therefore an extra treat.

9. You submitted to the festival via FilmFreeway. How has your
experiences been working on the festival platform site?
Really good and easy.

10. What is your favorite meal?
That a hard one – we both like many kinds of meals, most important is that it’s a well-prepared meal.

11. What is next for you? A new film?
We are working on different projects – lets see what it is going to bee