In an effort to expand its European library, Netflix is teaming up with Danish Oscar-winning director Billie August to produce the feature film Ehrengard for the streamer. Ehrengard is an adaptation of Karen Blixen’s novel of the same name.
What’s also most notable about this new Netflix production is that Queen Margrethe II of Denmark herself is involved in this production as she is designing the sets for the filming. Since 1970, The Queen has been actively engaged in a number of artistic modes of expression: painting, church textiles, watercolors, prints, book illustrations, découpage works, scenography, and embroidery. She is an honorary member of the Association of Danish Scenographers for her many years of work as a set designer in Danish film, television, and theater.
Queen Margrethe II gave her statement about working on this project:
“Karen Blixen’s stories have always fascinated me, with their aesthetic tales, their imagination and their, to me, image-creating worlds – and I’m very happy to be part of this project. You can feel that the author was a visual artist just like H.C. Andersen. But who is Ehrengard? One of Karen Blixen’s intriguing female characters and one of the few whose story ends happily. The intrigues weave themselves in and out of each other and Blixen spins her spin around the characters until we (and they) are completely nonplussed. How will the riddle be solved? I have tried to interpret Blixen’s fantastic universe in the creation of the découpages and costumes and I’m looking forward to seeing the tale of Ehrengard come to life in this film.”
Here is also a picture of the queen with director Billie August hard at work:
Director Billie August and Queen Margrethe II of Denmark
Bille August, the director, says:
“Ehrengard being realized as a Netflix film is a grand opportunity – and I’m really looking forward to introducing this fascinating story of seduction and desire to a global audience. The Queen has created the most fantastic decoupages for the occasion, and they will be the dominant feature of the film’s overall scenographic expression. ”Fantastic” (in the most literal sense) is our starting point for the film; we wish to use humour and elegance to create a devil-may-care, burlesque, fabulous and autonomous visual universe.”
Lina Brounéus, director co-production & acquisition EMEA at Netflix:
“I am proud and thrilled to bring Ehrengard to life on Netflix. With such a strong creative team in Bille August and Anders August, our close partners SF Studios producing combined with the extraordinary decoupages from Queen Margrethe II, I feel confident that this timeless tale will be just as epic, ingenious and witty as Karen Blixen’s masterpiece from 1962.”
The project has been developed over the last decade by Jacob Jørgensen and JJ Film, with Anders August (A Fortunate Man, Follow the Money, The Pig) writing the script. SF’s Marcella Dichmann is producing. Here’s everything else we know about Netflix’s Ehrengard.
What’s the plot of Ehrengard?
Netflix’s Ehrengard is based on Baroness Karen Blixen’s novel of the same name that was published posthumously after her death in 1963.
The novel is set in the fairytale kingdom of Babenhausen, where a young, self-appointed expert on love, Cazotte, is hired by the scheming Grand Duchess to help her secure an heir. While searching for a suitable future Princess, Cazotte teaches the timid and introverted Crown Prince the art of seduction and lovemaking. But their plan soon backfires, when an heir is conceived out of wedlock and the royal family has to seek refuge in the castle of Rosenbad. Here, as rivals within the royal family close in on their scheme, Cazotte himself falls in love with Ehrengard, the maid of honour, and gradually learns that in fact, he’s no expert on love at all.
Who is cast in Ehrengard?
Netflix hasn’t announced the cast of Ehrengard as of October 2021.
What’s the production status of Ehrengard?
Netflix’s Ehrengard is well into its pre-production phase as of August 2021 with filming starting very soon by the look of things as Queen Margrethe is already designing the sets.
What’s the Netflix release date for Ehrengard?
Netflix has officially confirmed Ehrengard to be one of the films to release in 2023 in its press release.