Bille August

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Born 1948 in Denmark. Trained in photography before attending the National Film School of Denmark, from where he graduated in 1973.

International breakthrough with ”Pelle The Conqueror”, which received the Palme d'Or in Cannes, 1988, and an Oscar in 1989. August received his second Palme d'Or in 1991 for the Swedish production ”The Best Intentions”, written by Ingmar Bergman.

Besides three awardwinning films for children and youth in the eighties – ”Zappa” (1983), ”The World of Buster” (1984) and ”Twist and Shout” (1984) – August has directed a number of international co-productions, all literary adaptations: ”The House of the Spirits” (1993), ”Jerusalem” (1996); ”Smilla's Sense of Snow” (1997), ”Les Misérables” (1998) and ”A Song for Martin” (2001).

Apart from numerous film awards Bille August has been honoured for his work as a film director with both the Danish and the Swedish Royal Order of Chivalry and the French order Chevalier dans l’ordre des Arts Lettres.

Directors