Season 1 | Episode 1: Decency in the Middle

Borgen

Drama/Politics, Denmark 2010

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“Rarely have the mechanisms of parliamentary power been portrayed in such an exciting and fast-paced way as here.” (Süddeutsche Zeitung) Forty-year-old politician Birgitte Nyborg (Sidse Babett Knudsen) secures a landslide victory for her party, “The Moderates,” through her idealism and enormous dedication. After exhausting coalition negotiations, Prime Minister Nyborg and her young image and political advisor Kasper Juul (Pilou Asbæk) now face the biggest challenge of their lives: How can they make the most effective use of their newly won seats, and how far are they willing to go to gain as much influence as possible? And all this without destroying Brigitte's fragile home life with two children and a husband who has put his career on hold? Intrigue, political power games, the influence of the press, but also the impact on private life are all dealt with in this Danish political series, which is often described as “the better HOUSE OF CARDS.” Excellently composed and with an impressively developed, strong female lead character, “Borgen” has won several European film awards. "The action lies in the dialogue – in the coalition negotiations in the rustic, cozy interior or in wild television debates. The fourth estate is always involved in the plot. This is clever from a dramaturgical point of view: news programs and political commentary drive the narrative forward in their own way; the political cast of the series is expanded to include a large number of journalists. Borgen establishes a connection to current issues through details alone. The headscarf worn by a party leader brings the entire integration debate to the fore. When things get serious, the moderate Prime Minister Nyborg naturally sides with the good guys – whether it's development aid or women's quotas. But in the struggle to retain power, her warm-hearted idealism is put under as much strain as her private life. When the majority for the state budget falters, there is little time left for family Christmas shopping." (Peter Sich, on: sueddeutsche.de) Three days before an election, party leader Birgitte Nyborg shakes up her campaign by denouncing her closest ally, sensitive information about the prime minister's shopping expenses lands in the wrong hands, and the rising star of the evening news is shaken by an unexpected death.
59 min
HD
FSK 12
Audio language:
German

Awards

Monte-Carlo TV Festival 2011 Outstanding Actress - Drama Series Sidse Babett Knudsen
Danish Film Awards 2014 Best Supporting Actor - Christian Tafdrup Best Danish TV Series
BAFTA Awards 2012 Best International Film

Further recommendations

More information

Composer:

Halfdan E

Sound Design:

Peter Kofoed

Cast:

Sidse Babett Knudsen (Birgitte Nyborg)

Pilou Asbæk (Kasper Juul)

Birgitte Hjort Sørensen (Katrine Fønsmark)

Freja Riemann (Laura Nyborg Christensen)

Mikael Birkkjær (Philip Christensen)

Emil Poulsen (Magnus Christensen)

Søren Malling (Torben Friis)

Lisbeth Wulff (Pia Munk)

Kasper Lange (Dan Vestergaard)

Thomas Levin (Ulrik Mørch)

Peter Mygind (Michael Laugesen)

Original title:

Borgen

Original language:

Danish

Further titles:

Vyriausybė

Правительство

Format:

1:2.35 HD, Color

Age rating:

FSK 12

Audio language:

German