tHE hOUSE THAT JACK BUILT

By Lars Von Trier

With Matt Dillon, Bruno Ganz, Uma Thurman, Siobhan Fallon Hogan, Sofie Gråbøl, Riley Keough

Synopsis “The greatest cathedrals have sublime artwork hidden in the darkest of corners for only God to see... so does MURDER!” 

USA in the 1970s. We follow the highly intelligent Jack through 5 incidents and are introduced to the murders that define Jack’s development as a serial killer.

We experience the story from Jack’s point of view. He views each murder as an artwork in itself, even though his dysfunction gives him problems in the outside world. Despite the fact that the final and inevitable police intervention is drawing ever near (which both provokes and puts pressure on Jack) he is – contrary to all logic – set on taking greater and greater chances. The goal is the ultimate artwork: A collection of all his killings manifested in a House that he builds. 

Along the way we experience Jack’s descriptions of his personal condition, problems and thoughts through a recurring conversation with the unknown Verge – a grotesque mixture of sophistry mixed with an almost childlike self-pity and in-depth explanations of, for Jack, dangerous and difficult manoeuvres.

Official Selection - out of competition of Cannes Festival 2018 Official Selection - Vienne International Film Festival (Viennale) 2018

Production Zentropa
Duration 2h20
Year of production 2018
Release date France Coming soon
Nationality Denmark
Script Lars Von Trier
Distribution France Les Films du Losange

Coproducers Film i Väst, Copenhagen Film Fund, Slot Machine

Supported by Danish Film Institute, Eurimages, Nordisk Film & TV Fond, Film- und Medienstiftung NRW, Swedish Film Institute, CNC, le programme Media de l'Union européenne, Potemkine

In association with DR, ZDF/Arte, SVT

Image Manuel Alberto Claro, DFF
Editing Molly Malene Stensgaard

Sound Kristian Selin Eidnes Andersen
Costume designer Manon Rasmussen

Set designer Simone Grau Roney