The Five Obstructions

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The Five Obstructions

2003 • 1h 30m • ★ 6.9 (168 votes) Released

In 1967, experimental filmmaker Jorgen Leth created a striking short film, The Perfect Human, starring a man and women sitting in a box while a narrator poses questions about their relationship and humanity. Years later, Danish director Lars von Trier made a deal with Leth to remake his film five times, each under a different set of circumstances and with von Trier's strictly prescribed rules. As Leth completes each challenge, von Trier creates increasingly further elaborate stipulations.

Director

Jørgen Leth

Writer

Lars von Trier

Writer

Asger Leth

Writer

Jørgen Leth

Rating

6.9

Runtime

90 min

Revenue

$0.3M

Watch Trailer IMDb

Production

Panic Productions

Wajnbrosse Productions

Almaz Film Productions

Zentropa Entertainments

Zentropa Entertainments

Top Billed Cast

Jørgen Leth

Jørgen Leth

Voice-over (from Det perfekte menneske) / Self - Director / +

Lars von Trier

Lars von Trier

Self / Obstructor (segment "The Conversations")

Claus Nissen

Claus Nissen

The Perfect Man (from Det perfekte menneske) (archive footage)

Majken Algren Nielsen

The Perfect Woman (from Det perfekte menneske) (archive footage)

Daniel Hernandez Rodriguez

The Perfect Man (segment "Cuba")

Jacqueline Arenal

Jacqueline Arenal

The Perfect Woman (segment "Cuba")

Vivian Rosa

(segment "Cuba")

Patrick Bauchau

Patrick Bauchau

The Perfect Man / Voice-over (Brussels) / Speaker (Cartoon)

Alexandra Vandernoot

Alexandra Vandernoot

The Perfect Woman (segment "Brussels")

Marie Dejaer

Maid (segment "Brussels")

Pascal Perez

Couple (Man) (segment "Brussels")

Meschell Perez

Couple (Woman) (segment "Brussels")

Bent Christensen

Bent Christensen

Gangster (from Det gode og det onde) (segment "Cartoon")

Anders Hove

Anders Hove

Naked Man (from Notater om kærligheden) ( segment "Cartoon")

Charlotte Sieling

Charlotte Sieling

Naked Woman (from Notater om kærligheden) ( segment "Cartoon")

Jan Nowicki

Jan Nowicki

Man with Jacket (from Notater om kærligheden) ( segment Cartoon)

Stina Ekblad

Stina Ekblad

Woman with Money (from Notater om kærligheden) (segment Cartoon)

Bob Sabiston

Bob Sabiston

Self (segment "The Perfect Human: Cartoon") (uncredited)

Videos & Trailers

Gallery

Keywords

third worldchallengeanimated scenedirectorfilmmakingmentor protégé relationship