First Images & 3 Clips From Thomas Vinterberg’s ‘The Hunt’ Starring Mads Mikkelsen

One of the biggest surprises in the Cannes lineup was the return of Dogme 95 co-founder and Lars von Trier cohort Thomas Vinterberg. Not only because his partner-in-crime was handed a persona non grata last year, but also because the helmer has more or less failed to live up to his first Dogme work, “Festen,” despite high-profile efforts such as “It’s All About Love” starring Joaquin Phoenix, Sean Penn and Claire Danes. But Vinterberg’s new film indeed looks promising.

The first images have now been unveiled (via Flix) for “The Hunt,” which excitingly teams him with Mads Mikkelsen for a drama set in a small Danish village around Christmas. Scripted by Vinterberg and Tobias Lindholm, the story itself follows Lucas, who is accused of a crime he did not commit and must fight to get his life back on track. Here’s the synopsis:

Following a tough divorce, 40 year-old Lucas has a new girlfriend, a new job and is in the process of reestablishing his relationship with his teenage son, Marcus. But things go awry. Not a lot. Just a small comment. A random lie. And as the snow falls and the Christmas lights are lit, the lie spreads like an invisible virus. The shock and mistrust gets out of hand, and the small community suddenly finds itself in a collective state of hysteria, while Lucas fights a lonely fight for his life and dignity.

Susse Wold, Thomas Bo Larsen, Lars Ranthe and Anne Louise Hassing also co-star in the film, which screens in competition on the Croisette. You can check out an interview with Vinterberg about “The Hunt” below along with 3 clips from the movie via the Cannes Film Festival website.