Appearing via video link at the Venice press conference for the show, von Trier provided an update on his condition, which he announced last month through his Zentropa producer Louise Vesth. His limbs and lower lip were shaking – a common symptom of Parkinson’s – but his speech was clear.
“I think I’m doing good, but the shaking will take some time to fight,” said the Oscar-nominated filmmaker, who won the Palme d’Or at Cannes in 2000 with Dancer In The Dark. “I feel better, but a little bit more stupid than I used to be. So that says a lot,” he joked.
Von Trier offered an apology to actress Ida Engvoll, who appears in Exodus. “I must say to Ida that I was a little ashamed of the part because it was not good enough for her,” he offered. “So I hope that we can work together again with some better material.”
A slightly embarrassed Engvoll said she was happy with the part and would gladly work with the director again.
The director also noted his condition took hold before filming of Exodus. “What I didn’t know was that I was already ill when we started filming, with this Parkinson’s I’ve got,” he revealed. “And I had a rotten time, but I hope the actors didn’t notice. I’ve been very happy for the support of all the actors.”
Alongside Engvoll and Vesth, actors Nicolas Bro, Nikolaj Lie Kaas and Bodil Jorgensen appeared in-person at the Venice conference.
Venice artistic director Alberto Barbera was present in the room at the start of the conference and von Trier received a round of applause from the assembled press after addressing his condition.
The veteran filmmaker is a leading light of the European and international independent scene through films such as Breaking The Waves, Dogville and Melancholia, and for co-creating the Dogme 95 filmmaking movement.
The Kingdom is set in an ultra-modern hospital in Denmark, where inexplicable happenings convince doctors that the place is haunted. The first two parts of Exodus will world premiere this evening on the Lido, playing out of competition.
It will then will head to the Toronto and New York film festivals. Mubi has distribution rights for North America, the UK, Ireland, Latin America, Turkey and India.
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