Director Lasse Noer’s short film, Knight of Fortune, depicts a man struggling with the loss of his wife. Through comedic and solemn scenes, we follow a heartwarming tale of a friendship growing between two men, found through their grief. This short has qualified to be considered for the 2024 Oscars.
Knight of Fortune is an incredibly poetic name; how did you come up with it, and did you have any other titles in mind?
So ‘Knight of Fortune,’ the English title, actually comes from its Danish counterpart, ‘Ridder Lykke’ which is a Danish song. Now, what makes this song special is that it was one of Karl’s wife’s absolute favorites, and also Torbens wife’s favorite. In the film, it becomes this shared experience between Karl and Torben, this connection that goes beyond words. Fast forward to the end, and Torben, knowing how much the song meant to Karl’s wife, sings it to him as a tribute. It’s this poignant way of honoring her memory and, in a way, keeping her spirit alive in the storyline. Now, dive into the lyrics the song talks about a woman desperately searching for her knight, but he’s nowhere to be found. And in our film, it mirrors Karl’s quest, not for a literal knight, but for the love he once had with his now-deceased wife.
Your writing and directing displays the various ways of dealing with grief beautifully, but obviously we must credit the actors – Leif Andrée and Jens Jørn Spottag – for bringing your work to life. How did the casting process work for this film?
Making this film wasn’t exactly a high-budget affair. In fact, I had pretty limited resources to offer the actors, so I needed people who didn’t just like the script but loved it. Dedication was key. Now, I’d previously collaborated with the talented Leif Andrée, a fantastic Swedish actor. He wasn’t my first choice initially, given he wasn’t Danish, but after meeting and casting various Danish actors, something just felt off. That’s when my producer, Christian Norlyk, suggested sending the script to Leif. It turned out to be a very good idea. Leif loved the script and it resonated with him on a personal level, and he felt compelled to be a part of it. So, I made a tweak, placing him as a Swedish man living in Denmark with a Danish wife, adding a layer of complexity to the character. And Leif was just great!
Now, as for Jens Jørn Spottag, I had this image of him in the film when I was writing it. I hesitated at first, considering he’s a busy Danish actor, and initially, I was looking for someone who could sing. I auditioned various individuals, but none felt quite right – they needed to embody both craziness, composure and warmth too. Turns out, some of the actors I cast had the same agent as Jens Jørn. The agent got back to us, saying Jens Jørn had read the script and wanted to talk. We had a sit-down, and he came prepared with notes on how he envisioned delivering lines. When I asked if he could sing, he surprised me by singing ‘Ridder Lykke.’ It was incredibly moving, and right then, I knew he was the guy. Working with Jens Jørn turned out to be a truly wonderful experience.
The directing process for people varies widely; some directors read a script and have a vision and do everything they can to make that come to life, whereas others work more day-by-day and see the vision growing as they film. What would you say your directing style is like?
I lean more towards the side of having a vision from the get-go. When I first read a script I start envisioning the scenes, the mood, the acting etc. I’m all about bringing that initial vision to life, doing everything in my power to make it tangible on screen. And of course I wrote ‘Knight of Fortune’ myself, so I had had a long time to visualize the outcome. That being said, it’s not a rigid, unyielding plan. Filmmaking is a dynamic process, and sometimes, the magic happens in the moment. So, I’d say I’m not afraid to let the vision evolve organically as we go along. It’s a bit of a dance between sticking to the plan and letting the unexpected gems that crop up during filming shape the final product. It keeps things exciting.
So, yeah, a mix of having a solid vision and being open to the beautiful surprises that come with the filmmaking journey.
Are there any directors or other influential filmmakers that you think have influenced your style?
Uh, there is a lot! But one who really gets under my skin in the best way is Alexander Payne. This guy, he’s like the ultimate tightrope walker, perfectly balancing drama and comedy. What really gets me is how he peels back the layers on themes like loneliness, loss, and forgiveness. It’s like he’s shining a spotlight on these universal experiences, and that’s the kind of storytelling that fuels my writing. Payne’s a heavyweight in capturing the essence of being human and that’s something I strive for in my own work.
If you could pick one person in the film industry to work alongside, who would you choose?
I’d do almost anything, to do a film with Brendan Gleeson!
Would you ever consider adapting KNIGHT OF FORTUNE into a feature length film?
Not at the moment no. “Knight of Fortune” wraps up with the potential for this real, deep friendship between two guys dealing with loss. You know, it’s like leaving the door open for the audience to picture where these characters might go from here. I like that.
Congratulations on qualifying to be considered for an Academy-Award! What was the process for this like?
This whole festival ride has been one big adventure. Traveling to different festivals worldwide and witnessing how audiences everywhere react in cinemas has been nothing short of incredible. I’ll tell you about this one moment at Clermont Ferrand—after the screening, this young man walks up to me and goes, “Thank you. I didn’t know I could laugh and cry at the same time. Now, I’m gonna call my grandma and make sure she’s doing alright.” That’s the kind of response you can only hope for.
And now, with the whole Academy-Award consideration in the mix, I’m feeling seriously blessed. It’s like the cherry on top of an already wild journey.
Where can people keep up to date with your campaign and perhaps see any new projects you might be working on?
You can follow me on Instagram, where Ill update on my work: @lassenorth & @knightoffortune_film
Lastly, if you could offer one piece of advice to anyone out there going through the grieving process, what would it be?
You know, someone once beautifully described it as having two hearts broken into half a heart. Dealing with grief, it’s a tough ride. But you gotta remind yourself—it’s part of this crazy thing called life. We all go through it at some point. Grieving, it’s like this thing you carry with you, and it ebbs and flows like waves. Some days are heavy, dark, and others a bit lighter.
Now, my granddad, a real inspiration for this film, he started by keeping quiet about my grandmother after we lost her. I guess the pain was just too deep. But now he has found, that the more we talk about her together, the more we keep her memory alive. It’s like she’s right there with us. So, yeah, talk about the ones you’ve lost. Share how you’re feeling with the folks you trust. But my granddad has this other side to it as well. He says, “Sometimes, when I’ve spent too much time with her in my thoughts, I straight up tell her to go away. Out loud. I tell her that I need to go do something else right now, so I want you to go away. But I’ll catch you later.’ It’s like giving yourself permission to step back and keep living.
Thank you so much, we look forward to hearing more about KNIGHT OF FORTUNE’s campaign for the 2024 Academy Awards!