Historical Background


In order to discuss the birth of the Dogme 95 film genre, we must first look at the political events and key

forces that were happening from 1990-1995:

*There was a rapid progression of democracy, globalization, and global capitalism all over the world due to the collapse of the Soviet Union and the ending of the Cold War. These events reunited the world and eased tensions between countries, breaking the barrier and establishing film ideas and genres to migrate across boarders. The development of technology such as the popularization of personal computers, the internet, and especially advances in film techniques that lead to the digital era also aided greatly to the transgression of ideas and films to all parts of the globe.

 

*In 1995 cinema was at an uncertain point in its history because it was (and still is) threatened by the impending age of digital film technology. Digital technology means that the cost of film production, exhibition and distribution is reduced, and production processes and distribution systems speeded up. This, in turn, means that non-Hollywood filmmakers can potentially compete with Hollywood in terms of making films and getting them to their audiences. In this industrial climate, then, Dogme hailed itself as 'a rescue action!'

 

*Back in early 1995, Lars von Trier called up Thomas Vinterberg and asked him if he'd like to "start a new wave" with him. So the two Danish directors met and spent all of 45 minutes cooking up a ten-point manifesto they called (in caps, always in caps) the VOW OF CHASTITY. So goes the legend, but it's matter-of-fact and self-deprecating enough to believe.

 

*The Dogme movement was officially announced on March 22, 1995 at Le Cinéma Vers Son Deuxième Siècle in Paris where the cinema world's elite gathered to celebrate the first century of motion pictures and contemplate the uncertain future of commercial cinema. The story goes that Lars von Trier was supposed to speak about the future of film but instead he began showering the alarmed audience with red pamphlets announcing his Dogme 95 movement. Since then 108 films have been consider "Dogme" worthy, with the first 31 receiving certificates of approval. Apparently in June, 2002 both creators declared that the Dogme95 movement was officially dead because it was starting to become a genre, which was never the intention. Although you can still fill out a form and send it to someone somewhere and be added to the list of Dogme95 films, the truest of Dogme95 films are the first 31 certified.