Lars von Trier is currently at Cannes promoting his new movie Melancholia, which stars Kirsten Dunst, Charlotte Gainsbourg and Keifer Sutherland. At a press conference that took place today, von Trier made some confusing remarks that while were congruent with his dark visage and attitude, weren’t necessarily helpful in achieving the festival’s goal of showcasing the film. When a reporter asked him about his German heritage, von Trier said, “for a long time I thought I was a Jew and I was happy to be a Jew. Then I met Susanne Bier and I wasn’t so happy. But then I found out I was actually a Nazi. My family were German. And that also gave me some pleasure. What can I say? I understand Hitler…I sympathize with him a bit. I don’t mean I’m in favor of World War II and I’m not against Jews, not even Susanne Bier. In fact I’m very much in favor of them. All Jews. Well, Israel is a pain in the ass, but…” At this point during the exchange, Dunst and Gainsbourg stared at von Trier and were completely shocked with his remarks. But instead of their reactions conveying to von Trier that he should stop talking, he continued instead: “Now how can I get out of this sentence? Ok, I’m a Nazi…” he said. When someone else asked the outlandish director what he was planning to do for his next project, he said he intended to make another movie with Dunst that would be three or four hours long and would be filled “with lots of uncomfortable sex.”
Later, he issued a statement that read, “If I have hurt someone this morning by the words I said at the press conference, I sincerely apologize. I am not anti-Semitic or racially prejudiced in any way, nor am I a Nazi.” But what I want to know is who feels bad for a guy who didn’t get into art school and if he were around in the 21st century, would spend his time watching The Other Guys in French with his landlord and sending sketches for new labels to the people who make Canada Dry beverages? Exactly. But you know what, at least Lars apologized within 24 hours. It took Arnold Schwarzenegger about a decade to admit his foible! ¡Ay Dios Mio!
