Private Project

Queen of the Forest

While visiting a safari park in Sweden, Ingrid feels more connected to the moose behind the fence than with her Danish friends, who are busy flirting with the owner. Back in their cabin, it becomes clear that the sole purpose of Ingrid’s presence is to entertain the Danes, as they proceed to make fun of her Swedish culture. After a long last night of their trip, she walks into the forest in a rush of alcohol and defiance to cut them loose.

  • Magnus Hippe Brun
    Director
  • Magnus Hippe Brun
    Writer
  • Tobias Bundgård
    Producer
    The National Film School of Denmark
  • Louise Karlsson
    Key Cast
    "Ingrid"
  • Astrid Birkebæk
    Key Cast
    "Clara"
  • Constance Holm
    Key Cast
    "Sofie"
  • Leif Edlund
    Key Cast
    "Leffe"
    Involuntary (2008)
  • Signe Edelboe Rasmussen
    Director of Photography
    The Norwegian Film School
  • Rikke Seim
    Production Designer
    The Norwegian Film School
  • Herman Granlund
    Sound Designer
    The Norwegian Film School
  • Magnus Hippe Brun
    Editor
  • Louise Karlsson
    Graphics
  • Louise Karlsson
    Animation
  • Signe Edelboe Rasmussen
    Grader
    The Norwegian Film School
  • Project Title (Original Language):
    Skovens Dronning
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    Youth Drama
  • Runtime:
    21 minutes 14 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    February 26, 2024
  • Production Budget:
    5,800 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    Denmark
  • Country of Filming:
    Sweden
  • Language:
    Danish, Swedish
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    1.55:1
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
  • 35th Nordisk Panorama Film Festival
    Malmö
    Sweden
    September 20, 2024
    World Premiere
    Best Nordic Short Film Official Selection
  • 39th Brest European Short Film Festival
    Brest
    France
    French Premiere
    European Competition Official Selection
Director Biography - Magnus Hippe Brun

Magnus Hippe Brun is a scriptwriter and director of fiction, documentary and stuff that falls in between. He’s currently studying in northern Norway at the Kabelvåg film art school and is expecting to run out of d-vitamin soon. He’s also trying to finish his bachelor in anthropology at the University of Copenhagen. He wants to make improvised films about people that don’t fit in but try to anyway. Films about people trying to prove themselves in more or less absurd ways.

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Director Statement

With “Queen of the Forest” I want to tell the story about Ingrid, who doesn’t feel seen or appreciated in her friendship with Sofie and Clara. I want to show her attempts at recognition, and I want to suggest her escalating frustration when she doesn’t succeed. This is a theme I often return to in my films; How do people understand themselves in relation to others, and how can this be a source of conflict? It’s important for me to tell stories about those who feel left out or who lack a friend group with acceptance of vulnerability. The film is a tribute to characters like Ingrid, and an attempt to tell those who mirror themselves in her struggles that things will be okay. But the film is also a story about pride and how our need for recognition can sometimes make us do absurd things. Such as letting loose a moose from its safaripark - or, for my own part, making a film about it.

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Med “Skovens Dronning” vil jeg gerne fortælle historien om Ingrid, som ikke føler sig set eller anerkendt i sit venskab med Sofie og Clara. Jeg vil gerne vise, at hun prøver at træde i karakter, og jeg vil gerne antyde hendes ulmende frustration, når det ikke lykkes. Det er et tema, der ofte optager mig i mine film. Hvordan forstår folk sig selv i relation til andre, og hvordan kan det være en kilde til konflikt? Det sidder dybt i mig at fortælle historien om dem, der føler sig udenfor og savner et fællesskab, hvor der er plads til sårbarhed. Filmen er en slags hyldest til karakterer som Ingrid, og et forsøg på at fortælle dem, at det nok skal gå. Men filmen er også en fortælling om stolthed, og at vores behov for anerkendelse nogle gange kan få os til at gøre nogle lidt absurde ting. Som at slippe en elg fri fra en safaripark - eller for mit eget vedkommende at lave en film om det.