Gabriel Axel

Gabriel Axel
Gabriel Axel
Born	Axel Gabriel Erik Mørch; 18 April 1918; Aarhus,Denmark
Died	9 February 2014(aged 95); Bagsværd(nearCopenhagen), Denmark
Nationality	Danish
Education	Actor
Alma mater	Royal Danish Theatre
Occupation(s)	Film director, actor, writer, producer
Years active	1945–2001
Known for	Babette's Feast
Spouse	Lucie Juliette Laraignou (m. 1948–1996)
Children	4
Awards	Academy Award; Rungstedlund Award

Axel Gabriel Erik Mørchbetter known asGabriel Axel(18 April 1918 – 9 February 2014)^[2]was a Danish film director, actor, writer and producer, best known forBabette's Feast(1987), which he wrote and directed.^[3]^[4]

Biography[edit]

Born inAarhus,Denmark, on 18 April 1918,^[5]Axel spent most of his childhood inParisin a wealthy Danish manufacturer's family.

In 1935, at age 17 following the family's economic collapse, he moved to Denmark and trained as acabinet maker.^[6]In 1942, Axel was admitted to the acting school at theRoyal Danish Theatrein Copenhagen. After graduating in 1945, he returned to France, where he spent five years on stage in Paris, including at theThéâtre de l'Athénéeunder theatre directorLouis Jouvet.During the winter of 1948–1949 he producedLudvig Holberg'sDiderich Menschenskraek(Diderich the Terrible) atThéâtre de Paris.^[7]^[8]^[9]

Axel returned to Denmark in 1950, and broke through as a stage director in the early 1950s. His productions includedLa tête des autres(Other People's Heads) byMarcel Aymé,Le CidbyPierre Corneille,andPour LucrècebyJean Giraudoux.^[10]^[11]^[12]^[13]Axel started directing for television in 1951, and, from 1951 to 1968, did some 48 television dramas.^[14]

From 1955, Axel was a director atNordisk Film.^[15]His debut feature, the social-realist dramaNothing But Trouble(1955), was highly praised, and the breakthrough came with the TV filmA Woman Not Wantedin 1957.^[16]^[17]

He went on to direct a string of lighter comedies and farces before making the epic Nordic sagaThe Red Mantlein 1967,^[18]which was selected forCannes Film Festivalcompetition and won a Technical Prize (Mention spéciale du grand prix technique) at the1967 Cannes Film Festival.^[19]^[20]His other films include the popular comedyThe Goldcabbage Family(1975) and its sequel, and a series of sexually oriented features including the campaigningDet kære legetøj(1968) which advocated the legalisation ofpornography in Denmark.^[21]^[22]

With some 16 feature films to his credits Axel returned toFrancein 1977, where he directed several large projects for French television, culminating in 1985 with a historical five-episode series,Les Colonnes du ciel[fr](Heaven's Pillars).

In 1987, Axel returned to Denmark to direct what had been his dream project for over 15 years, and is considered his masterpiece, an adaptation ofKaren Blixen'sBabette's Feast.After screening at the Cannes Film Festival, the film won theAcademy Award for Best Foreign Language Filmat the60th Academy Awardsamong others.^[4]^[23]^[24]

His next films, the youth dramaChristian(1989), the historical dramaPrince of Jutland(1994), after the legend ofPrince Amleth,and starringHelen Mirren,Gabriel Byrne,andChristian Bale,andLeïla(2001), a love story set in Morocco, failed to achieve the same international resonance.

Alongside his directing career, Axel acted in a dozen Danish films, mostly in colourful supporting roles in popular comedies in the 1950s and 60s. He played the lead as the elegant charlatanMarcel de SadeinThe Reluctant Sadist(1967).^[25]^[26]^[27]^[28]

Axel in 1995, was made a Knight of the FrenchNational Order of Merit,in 2000 Commander of theOrdre des Arts et des Lettres,and in 2003 was made Officer of theLegion of Honour.^[29]In 2003, Axel received a Lifetime Achievement Award at theCopenhagen International Film Festival.^[30]In 2012 he received theRungstedlund Award.^[31]

Axel died in his sleep on 9 February 2014 at the age of 95.^[32]^[1]

Selected filmography[edit]

Year	Title	Credits	Notes
1955	Altid ballade	Director
1955	Der kom en dag	Actor
1956	Kispus	Actor
1957	En kvinde er overflødig	Director
1958	The Girls Are Willing	Director
1958	Styrmand Karlsen	Actor
1959	Helle for Helene	Director
1960	Flemming og Kvik	Director
1962	Peters baby	Actor
1962	Oskar	Director
1962	Han, hun, Dirch og Dario	Actor
1962	Crazy Paradise	Director
1963	Vi har det jo dejligt	Director
1963	Three Girls in Paris	Director, actor
1963	Paradise and Back	Director
1965	En ven i bolignøden	Actor
1966	Dyden går amok	Actor
1967	Hagbard and Signe	Director
1967	The Reluctant Sadist	Actor
1968	Det kære legetøj	Director
1970	Amour	Director
1971	Med kærlig hilsen	Director
1972	Soft Shoulders, Sharp Curves	Director
1972	Nu går den på Dagmar	Actor
1975	Familien Gyldenkål	Director
1976	Familien Gyldenkål sprænger banken	Director
1977	Going for Broke	Director
1987	Babette's Feast	Director	Academy Award
1989	Christian	Director
1994	Prince of Jutland	Director
1995	Lumière and Company	Director	Segment
2001	Leïla	Director

References[edit]

^^a ^bHansen, Af: Helle Kastholm."Gabriel Axel sang franske sange aftenen, før han døde".ekstrabladet.dk.
^Ronald Bergan Obituary: Gabriel Axel,The Guardian,10 February 2014
^"Babette's Feast director Gabriel Axel dies".BBC News.Retrieved10 February2014.
^^a ^b""Babette's Feast and the Goodness of God" by Thomas J. Curry ".Archived fromthe originalon 15 February 2013.
^Karin Mørch (2008).Gabriels gæstebud(in Danish). Gyldendal A/S. pp. 19–.ISBN 978-87-02-06775-0.
^"Halv franskmand, halv dansker, hel ildsjæl".Information.
^Billboard.Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 3 January 1948. pp. 41–.ISSN 0006-2510.
^Billboard.Billboard Publications. September 1949.
^Ove Holger Krak (1980).Kraks blå bog(in Danish). Krak.ISBN 9788772251820.
^Michel Lécureur (1 January 1997).Marcel Ayme(in French). Les Belles Lettres/Archimbaud. p. 134.ISBN 978-2-251-44107-8.
^Cahiers Jean Giraudoux(in French). B. Grasset. 1981. p. 231.
^Perspektiv(in Danish). H. Reitzel. 1954. p. 51.
^Harald Engberg (1958).Dansk teater i halvtredserne(in Danish). Carit Andersen forl. p. 63.
^Piil, Morten (2003).Danske filmskuespillere: 525 portrætter(in Danish). Gyldendal. p. SL2-PA25.ISBN 978-87-02-02104-2.Retrieved19 February2018.
^J. R. Keith Keller (1 January 1999).Karen Blixen og filmen(in Danish). Aschehoug. p. 147.ISBN 978-87-11-11311-0.
^Mette Hjort; Ib Bondebjerg (1 January 2003).The Danish Directors: Dialogues on a Contemporary National Cinema.Intellect Books. pp. 58–.ISBN 978-1-84150-841-2.
^Birger Langkjær (2012).Realismen i dansk film(in Danish). Samfundslitteratur. pp. 152–.ISBN 978-87-593-1598-9.
^Roger Ebert (15 June 2009).Roger Ebert's Four Star Reviews--1967-2007.Andrews McMeel Publishing. pp. 311–.ISBN 978-0-7407-9217-5.
^Danish Films.Danish Film Institute. 1994. p. 18.
^"Festival de Cannes: Hagbard and Signe".festival-cannes.com.Retrieved8 March2009.
^Ib Bondebjerg (2012).Virkelighedsbilleder: den moderne danske dokumentarfilm(in Danish). Samfundslitteratur. pp. 195–.ISBN 978-87-593-1629-0.
^"Dansk films seje overlever".Information.
^Leonard Maltin (3 September 2013).Leonard Maltin's 2014 Movie Guide.Penguin Group US. pp. 148–.ISBN 978-1-101-60955-2.
^Maaike de Haardt; Anne-Marie Korte (2002).Common Bodies: Everyday Practices, Gender and Religion.LIT Verlag Münster. pp. 20–.ISBN 978-3-8258-5578-9.
^"Gabriel Axel er død".www.ekkofilm.dk.
^Historical Dictionary of Scandinavian Cinema.Scarecrow Press. 31 August 2012. pp. 66–.ISBN 978-0-8108-5524-3.
^Francisco Lafarga.Le XVIIIe siècle aujourd'hui. Présences, lectures et réécritures(in French). Editions Le Manuscrit. pp. 131–.ISBN 978-2-304-23419-0.
^"Ugeavisen.dk → Din indgang til alle ugeaviserne under Jysk Fynske Medier | Ugeavisen.dk".ugeavisen.dk.
^Boas, Kirsten (18 October 2003)."Gabriel Axel hædret med Frankrigs fineste orden".Kristeligt Dagblad(in Danish).Retrieved19 February2018.
^"'Babette's Feast' Director Gabriel Axel Dead At 95 ".Variety.
^"THE RUNGSTEDLUND FOUNDATION".Archived fromthe originalon 26 December 2014.
^"Filminstruktøren Gabriel Axel er død".Danmarks Radio.Retrieved10 February2014.

External links[edit]

Gabriel AxelatIMDb
Gabriel Axelin theDanish Film Database

[auto-1] Hansen, Af: Helle Kastholm."Gabriel Axel sang franske sange aftenen, før han døde".ekstrabladet.dk.

[Bergan-2] Ronald Bergan Obituary: Gabriel Axel,The Guardian,10 February 2014

[BBC-3] "Babette's Feast director Gabriel Axel dies".BBC News.Retrieved10 February2014.

[digitalcommons.unomaha.edu-4] ""Babette's Feast and the Goodness of God" by Thomas J. Curry ".Archived fromthe originalon 15 February 2013.

[Mørch2008-5] Karin Mørch (2008).Gabriels gæstebud(in Danish). Gyldendal A/S. pp. 19–.ISBN 978-87-02-06775-0.

[6] "Halv franskmand, halv dansker, hel ildsjæl".Information.

[Inc.1948-7] Billboard.Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 3 January 1948. pp. 41–.ISSN 0006-2510.

[8] Billboard.Billboard Publications. September 1949.

[Krak1980-9] Ove Holger Krak (1980).Kraks blå bog(in Danish). Krak.ISBN 9788772251820.

[Lécureur1997-10] Michel Lécureur (1 January 1997).Marcel Ayme(in French). Les Belles Lettres/Archimbaud. p. 134.ISBN 978-2-251-44107-8.

[11] Cahiers Jean Giraudoux(in French). B. Grasset. 1981. p. 231.

[12] Perspektiv(in Danish). H. Reitzel. 1954. p. 51.

[Engberg1958-13] Harald Engberg (1958).Dansk teater i halvtredserne(in Danish). Carit Andersen forl. p. 63.

[Danske_filmskuespillere:_525_portrætter_2003-14] Piil, Morten (2003).Danske filmskuespillere: 525 portrætter(in Danish). Gyldendal. p. SL2-PA25.ISBN 978-87-02-02104-2.Retrieved19 February2018.

[Keller1999-15] J. R. Keith Keller (1 January 1999).Karen Blixen og filmen(in Danish). Aschehoug. p. 147.ISBN 978-87-11-11311-0.

[HjortBondebjerg2003-16] Mette Hjort; Ib Bondebjerg (1 January 2003).The Danish Directors: Dialogues on a Contemporary National Cinema.Intellect Books. pp. 58–.ISBN 978-1-84150-841-2.

[Langkjær-17] Birger Langkjær (2012).Realismen i dansk film(in Danish). Samfundslitteratur. pp. 152–.ISBN 978-87-593-1598-9.

[Ebert2009-18] Roger Ebert (15 June 2009).Roger Ebert's Four Star Reviews--1967-2007.Andrews McMeel Publishing. pp. 311–.ISBN 978-0-7407-9217-5.

[19] Danish Films.Danish Film Institute. 1994. p. 18.

[festival-cannes.com-20] "Festival de Cannes: Hagbard and Signe".festival-cannes.com.Retrieved8 March2009.

[Bondebjerg2012-21] Ib Bondebjerg (2012).Virkelighedsbilleder: den moderne danske dokumentarfilm(in Danish). Samfundslitteratur. pp. 195–.ISBN 978-87-593-1629-0.

[22] "Dansk films seje overlever".Information.

[Maltin2013-23] Leonard Maltin (3 September 2013).Leonard Maltin's 2014 Movie Guide.Penguin Group US. pp. 148–.ISBN 978-1-101-60955-2.

[HaardtKorte2002-24] Maaike de Haardt; Anne-Marie Korte (2002).Common Bodies: Everyday Practices, Gender and Religion.LIT Verlag Münster. pp. 20–.ISBN 978-3-8258-5578-9.

[25] "Gabriel Axel er død".www.ekkofilm.dk.

[26] Historical Dictionary of Scandinavian Cinema.Scarecrow Press. 31 August 2012. pp. 66–.ISBN 978-0-8108-5524-3.

[Lafarga-27] Francisco Lafarga.Le XVIIIe siècle aujourd'hui. Présences, lectures et réécritures(in French). Editions Le Manuscrit. pp. 131–.ISBN 978-2-304-23419-0.

[28] "Ugeavisen.dk → Din indgang til alle ugeaviserne under Jysk Fynske Medier | Ugeavisen.dk".ugeavisen.dk.

[Boas_2003-29] Boas, Kirsten (18 October 2003)."Gabriel Axel hædret med Frankrigs fineste orden".Kristeligt Dagblad(in Danish).Retrieved19 February2018.

[30] "'Babette's Feast' Director Gabriel Axel Dead At 95 ".Variety.

[31] "THE RUNGSTEDLUND FOUNDATION".Archived fromthe originalon 26 December 2014.

[died-32] "Filminstruktøren Gabriel Axel er død".Danmarks Radio.Retrieved10 February2014.

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v t e Academy Award for Best International Feature Film
1947–1955 (Honorary)	1947:Shoeshine–Vittorio De Sica 1948:Monsieur Vincent–Maurice Cloche 1949:Bicycle Thieves–Vittorio De Sica 1950:The Walls of Malapaga–René Clément 1951:Rashomon–Akira Kurosawa 1952:Forbidden Games–René Clément 1953: No Award 1954:Gate of Hell–Teinosuke Kinugasa 1955:Samurai, The Legend of Musashi–Hiroshi Inagaki
1956–1975	1956:La Strada–Federico Fellini 1957:Nights of Cabiria–Federico Fellini 1958:My Uncle–Jacques Tati 1959:Black Orpheus–Marcel Camus 1960:The Virgin Spring–Ingmar Bergman 1961:Through a Glass Darkly–Ingmar Bergman 1962:Sundays and Cybèle–Serge Bourguignon 1963:8½–Federico Fellini 1964:Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow–Vittorio De Sica 1965:The Shop on Main Street–Ján Kadár&Elmar Klos 1966:A Man and a Woman–Claude Lelouch 1967:Closely Watched Trains–Jiří Menzel 1968:War and Peace–Sergei Bondarchuk 1969:Z–Costa-Gavras 1970:Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion–Elio Petri 1971:The Garden of the Finzi-Continis–Vittorio De Sica 1972:The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie–Luis Buñuel 1973:Day for Night–François Truffaut 1974:Amarcord–Federico Fellini 1975:Dersu Uzala–Akira Kurosawa
1976–2000	1976:Black and White in Color–Jean-Jacques Annaud 1977:Madame Rosa–Moshé Mizrahi 1978:Get Out Your Handkerchiefs–Bertrand Blier 1979:The Tin Drum–Volker Schlöndorff 1980:Moscow Does Not Believe in Tears–Vladimir Menshov 1981:Mephisto–István Szabó 1982:Volver a Empezar ('To Begin Again')–José Luis Garci 1983:Fanny and Alexander–Ingmar Bergman 1984:Dangerous Moves–Richard Dembo 1985:The Official Story–Luis Puenzo 1986:The Assault–Fons Rademakers 1987:Babette's Feast–Gabriel Axel 1988:Pelle the Conqueror–Bille August 1989:Cinema Paradiso–Giuseppe Tornatore 1990:Journey of Hope–Xavier Koller 1991:Mediterraneo–Gabriele Salvatores 1992:Indochine–Régis Wargnier 1993:Belle Époque–Fernando Trueba 1994:Burnt by the Sun–Nikita Mikhalkov 1995:Antonia's Line–Marleen Gorris 1996:Kolya–Jan Svěrák 1997:Character–Mike van Diem 1998:Life Is Beautiful–Roberto Benigni 1999:All About My Mother–Pedro Almodóvar 2000:Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon–Ang Lee
2001–present	2001:No Man's Land–Danis Tanović 2002:Nowhere in Africa–Caroline Link 2003:The Barbarian Invasions–Denys Arcand 2004:The Sea Inside–Alejandro Amenábar 2005:Tsotsi–Gavin Hood 2006:The Lives of Others–Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck 2007:The Counterfeiters–Stefan Ruzowitzky 2008:Departures–Yōjirō Takita 2009:The Secret in Their Eyes–Juan José Campanella 2010:In a Better World–Susanne Bier 2011:A Separation–Asghar Farhadi 2012:Amour–Michael Haneke 2013:The Great Beauty–Paolo Sorrentino 2014:Ida–Paweł Pawlikowski 2015:Son of Saul–László Nemes 2016:The Salesman–Asghar Farhadi 2017:A Fantastic Woman–Sebastián Lelio 2018:Roma–Alfonso Cuarón 2019:Parasite–Bong Joon-ho 2020:Another Round–Thomas Vinterberg 2021:Drive My Car–Ryusuke Hamaguchi 2022:All Quiet on the Western Front–Edward Berger 2023:The Zone of Interest–Jonathan Glazer

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