- Born
- Birth nameHans Ole Bornedal
- Ole Bornedal was born 1959 in Noerresundby, Denmark. From the time he was fourteen he knew he wanted to become a filmmaker. However, not being able to get into The Danish Film School, he had to create his own career and after a few years of University Studies in Film, he started working for The National Danish Broadcasting Company doing radio-dramas and radio-features. Within a few years, Ole was awarded the "Oscar" in Radio: The Prix Italia and acknowledged as one of the most outstanding Radio-Feature directors in the world.
Later Ole worked in television making both Comedies and Dramas and subsequently won The Prix Italia for Best Television Drama in 1996. At the age of 33 he was appointed Head of Television Drama and was the youngest Executive ever but only held the job for one and a half years as he was invited to the United States to do a remake of his International film debut: the thriller, "Nightwatch."
Ole went on to work in New York and Los Angeles for two years as a director, script-developer and Producer.
In 1997, Ole moved back to Denmark and started writing and directing for the stage. In addition, he continued to write and develop feature films and television. In 2001, Ole started his own theater - The Aveny. During the next four years, The Aveny became the most popular best-selling theater in Copenhagen. In 2004, Ole left to restart his international film career and made three movies back-to-back.
Bornedal's movies have been critically acclaimed all over the world and is acknowledged as one of the most influential creators of "The New Danish Cinema."
Ole lives in Copenhagen and has four children: Johan, Claudia, Fanny and Little Peter.- IMDb Mini Biography By: O. Bornedal
- SpousesHelle Fagralid(September 2012 - present)Vicky Leander(1990 - 2002) (divorced, 3 children)Hanne Martine Handberg(? - 2012) (divorced, 1 child)
- Children
- Applied to the National Film School of Denmark, but was not accepted. He humorously describes his interview in front of a committee consisting of a bored Mogens Rukov, a flirtatious Kirsten Thorup and Jørgen Leth, who allegedly left the room.
- In the mid-'90s he was given a multi-picture deal with Miramax and directed the American remake of his Danish hit, Nightwatch (1994). Miramax/Dimension brought him in as a co-producer on Del Torros first American movie, Mimic (1997) along with the Weinsteins and worked for a couple of years as a script supervisor. Returned to Denmark in order to take care of his family along with several more local projects such as "Deep Water" mini-series for television that won the Cologne TV-Film-Festival. Theater-work. "I Am Dina" (starring Depardieu, Eccleston and Mads Mikkelsen) which won the Montreal Film Festival. The suspense thriller "Just Another Love Story". Sci Fi for kids: "The Substitute" and "Deliver us from Evil". All of the titles participating and winning awards in festivals like in Toronto, Sundance and throughout Europe. Worked with Sam Raimi and Ghosthouse on The Possession which grossed more than 80 mil dollar worldwide.
- Says he first decided he wanted to work in film when he saw an Antonioni film when he was fourteen.
- Ole Bornedal is one of few directors who has both worked in film and theater. Between 2001 and 2005 he was Theatre Manager of one of Copenhagens most popular and innovative theaters Aveny Teatret - and has written and directed several plays. Among them his own re-written version of Macbeth, Die, Heaven, Jeppe and Screamers.
- Before his film career he worked for Danish broadcaster DR, especially in radio documentary.
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