Astrid Henning-Jensen facts for kids

Astrid Henning-Jensen (born Astrid Smahl; 10 December 1914 – 5 January 2002) was a Danish film director, actress, editor, and screenwriter. She is known for making many films, especially those about children and important social topics. Her work helped shape Danish cinema for over 50 years.

Early Life

Astrid Henning-Jensen was born in the Copenhagen area of Frederiksberg in 1914. She started her career as an actress in theaters from 1935 to 1938. On 10 August 1938, she married Bjarne Henning-Jensen, who was also a film director.

Career

Astrid's marriage to Bjarne Henning-Jensen was very important for her career. She began working with him in 1941 at Nordisk Film, a big film company. They often worked together, directing and writing films as a team. They also helped each other on their own projects.

Henning-Jensen worked in many roles in filmmaking. She wrote, edited, and directed movies. Over her career, which lasted more than 50 years, she made many short films, TV shows, documentaries, and feature films.

In 1981, Henning-Jensen was part of the jury at the 31st Berlin International Film Festival. Later, in 1996, she received the Berlinale Camera award at the 46th Berlin International Film Festival. This award celebrates filmmakers who have made a great impact.

Notable Works and Themes

Ditte, Child of Man (1946)

Ditte, Child of Man is a movie based on a novel by Martin Andersen Nexø. Henning-Jensen worked on this film as an assistant director with her husband. This movie helped both Henning-Jensens become known around the world. It was also seen as a film that brought hope to Danish cinema after World War II. It is sometimes compared to Italian neorealism, a style of filmmaking that shows real life.

This film was chosen for the 2004 Danish Culture Canon (Kulturkanonen). This is a list of 108 important Danish cultural works. Ditte, Child of Man also shows a theme Astrid Henning-Jensen often explored: childhood. She and her husband are seen as pioneers in making films for children in Denmark. Ditte, Child of Man is considered the start of this tradition. Another film, Those Damned Kids (1947), is called the first true Danish children's film.

Many of Henning-Jensen's films, like Paw (1959) and Early Spring (1986), explore the feelings of children in a realistic way. Her films often show children's imagination and their need for safety from adults. Ditte, Child of Man is especially noted for giving children their own voice in Danish movies for the first time.

Paw, Boy of Two Worlds (1959)

Paw, Boy of Two Worlds tells the story of a young boy named Paw. He comes to Denmark from the West Indies after his Danish father dies. The film shows Paw learning about a new way of life. It was one of the first films in Denmark to talk openly about important social issues like fairness and understanding.

The film was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the 32nd Academy Awards in 1959. It also won the Grand Prix Technique at the 1960 Cannes Film Festival. In addition, it received an award from the Council of Europe at the Venice Film Festival. It also got an honor diploma at the Edinburgh Film Festival.

Humanitarianism and Realism

Paw, especially how it shows social issues, highlights a key part of Henning-Jensen's work. She often focused on humanitarian themes and social justice. Children and women were often central to her stories. This can also be seen in her 1978 film Vinterbørn. This movie follows several women in a hospital who are having difficulties with their pregnancies. It explores the strong bond that forms between them.

Realism was another important part of Henning-Jensen's films. She made many documentaries about people's lives in different places. Examples include Ballettens børn (1954), about ballet students, and Trods alt (1990), about people recovering from difficult experiences. Realism also appeared in her fictional movies. While Still Young (1943), which was her husband Bjarne's first feature film (Astrid was co-writer and assistant), showed the lives of young artists in Copenhagen. Her films often used real locations and natural acting. They also dealt with everyday problems, showing influences from her documentary work.

Autobiography

In 1999, Astrid Henning-Jensen published her autobiography. She wrote it with Danish author Barbara Gress. In the book, she shared stories about her life and career. She talked openly about making movies, meeting different people, and her personal life.

Awards and Nominations

Besides winning many special awards and nominations for her films, Henning-Jensen was named Årets Æreskunstner (Honorary Artist of the Year) at the 1995 Copenhagen Film Festival.