With the support of the Danish Film Institute and the Embassy of Denmark in Dublin
“a discreet economy of approach that accumulates considerable power” Dennis
Harvey, Variety
“[a] potent and accomplished feature” Dennis Harvey, Variety
In the days following the surrender of Nazi Germany in May 1945, German soldiers in Denmark
were put to work by their Allied captors. With minimal training in defusing explosives, they were
sent to remove over 1.5 million of their own landmines from the Danish west coast. Nearly half
of them were killed or severely wounded.
As a ragged group of German POWs is dropped off by trucks at the seaside, we see that most
are still in their teens. There to greet them is the bullish Danish army sergeant Rasmussen
(Roland Møller). Intent on punishing what's left of their army, he marches his squad out on the
dunes each day to prod for mines.
Between nervewracking set pieces there is brief respite away from the beaches, and it is here
that Zandvliet finds equally compelling fodder for his larger tale of comradeship, respect, and
even unexpected friendship among survivors of war. Ultimately sensitive and sympathetic to the
plight of all its characters, Land of Mine is about more than exorcising the recent past; it's about
restoring the humanity in us all.
Toronto International Film Festival
