Björk tells of sexual harassment by "Danish" director

[Benn98]

Björk Shares Experience of Harassment By ‘Danish Director:’ He Created ‘An Impressive Net of Illusion’

By Erin Nyren
October 15, 2017 10:01AM PT

In light of the mushrooming Harvey Weinstein scandal in Hollywood, which has prompted numerous women in entertainment to share their stories with harassment, Icelandic musician Björk has come forward with her story of harassment by a Danish film director, who she says harassed her while she was working on his film.

“It was extremely clear to me when I walked into the actresses profession (sic) that my humiliation and role as a lesser sexually harassed being was the norm and set in stone with the director and a staff of dozens who enabled it and encouraged it,” she wrote in a statement posted to Facebook.

While not specifying the exact form the harassment took, Björk explained, “When I turned the director down repeatedly he sulked and punished me and created for his team an impressive net of illusion where I was framed as the difficult one. Because of my strength, my great team and because I had nothing to loose (sic) having no ambitions in the acting world, I walked away from it and recovered in a years time.”

According to the singer, she confronted him about his behavior, which she believes may have mitigated his actions afterward. She adds, however, that although her career was not permanently affected by the harassment, other actresses who have worked with the director may have experienced more long-lasting effects.

She continues that “the director was fully aware of this game and I am sure of that (sic) the film he made after was based on his experiences with me. Because I was the first one that stood up to him and didn’t let him get away with it.”


Bjork ends her statement with a call to action — “let’s stop this” — and asserts that “there is a wave of change in the world.”

Björk has acted in only two films, 1990 Icelandic film “The Juniper Tree,” directed by Nietzchka Keene, and 2000’s “Dancer in the Dark,” directed by Lars von Trier.

Read Björk’s statement in full below:

“i am inspired by the women everywhere who are speaking up online to tell about my experience with a danish director . because i come from a country that is one of the worlds place closest to equality between the sexes and at the time i came from position of strength in the music world with hard earned independence , it was extremely clear to me when i walked into the actresses profession that my humiliation and role as a lesser sexually harassed being was the norm and set in stone with the director and a staff of dozens who enabled it and encouraged it . i became aware of that it is a universal thing that a director can touch and harass his actresses at will and the institution of film allows it . when i turned the director down repeatedly he sulked and punished me and created for his team an impressive net of illusion where i was framed as the difficult one . because of my strength , my great team and because i had nothing to loose having no ambitions in the acting world , i walked away from it and recovered in a years time . i am worried though that other actresses working with the same man did not . the director was fully aware of this game and i am sure of that the film he made after was based on his experiences with me . because i was the first one that stood up to him and didn’t let him get away with it

and in my opinion he had a more fair and meaningful relationship with his actresses after my confrontation so there is hope

let’s hope this statement supports the actresses and actors all over

let’s stop this

there is a wave of change in the world

kindness

björk”

Source: Variety.com

 

[Benn98]

Years ago when Catherine Deneuve's book came out there were a bunch of stories doing the rounds about essentially how Catherine perceived the situation.


This one, for instance:

Deneuve gets catty on Bjork, Von Trier
Posted September 21, 2005


Catherine Deneuve has a new book coming out this month, called Close Up and Personal, and The Guardian has published an excerpt from the chapter on the filming of Dancer in the Dark. The whole experience was essentially a nightmare, to hear Cathy tell it. Lars Von Trier essentially refused to give her direction; Deneuve thinks this is partially his style, and partially due to the fact that he was constantly battling with star Bjork. One day, in a tiff over her lack of control over the musical numbers, Bjork simply does not show up, and Deneuve doesn't seem to understand what the Icelandic diva's problem is. "What thoughtlessness - there are still 35 dancers here! She's used to being the centre of everything and wants to control it all." Deneuve even offers to talk to Bjork herself - "Although I don't really feel like it" - to explain to her exactly how much time and money her hysterics are wasting. Deneuve's whole synopsis of the shoot, unfolding diary-style, is a great read. She's on the inside speaking with an outside perspective that comes from her refusal to play along with Bjork and Von Trier's high-drama games.

Source: Moviefone.com

And then there was this....

Hard Life for a von Trier Woman, Again

By NICOLAS RAPOLD
FEB. 28, 2014

Fifteen years ago, Catherine Deneuve reflected in her journal on filming the unorthodox musical “Dancer in the Dark” (2000) with Björk and the director Lars von Trier. Tensions ran high on the demanding shoot. But despite fierce creative differences and psychological stress on all sides, Björk saw her feature-acting debut, as a single mother going blind who faces the death penalty, to its conclusion. And Ms. Deneuve couldn’t figure out why.

“I’m pretty surprised; I know, because she’s told me, that she’s suffered a lot and that Lars has constantly pushed her beyond her limits,” Ms. Deneuve wrote in her set diary, excerpted in her 2005 book “Close Up and Personal.” “Why didn’t she ever say ‘No,’ or ‘That’s enough’?”

Source: Nytimes.com

So the narrative boiled down to him being such a dedicated auteur that the simply wanted the best out of his actresses at all cost. Little did we know....

 

[iperlchen]

So can we just say it was Lars von Trier? I can't believe the manipulation tactics employed by him to cover up his dirty act. Setting up a whole crew against Bjork to create a narrative that makes her sound like a spoiled little diva. This media world is gross. It makes me mad

 

[TREVOFASHIONISTO]

I mean i knew he was insane but I had no idea Bjork was going through this. It makes you wonder what other actresses have been subjected to his abuse, and why Charlotte was so loyal to him

 

[Lola701]

I mean i knew he was insane but I had no idea Bjork was going through this. It makes you wonder what other actresses have been subjected to his abuse, and why Charlotte was so loyal to him

Maybe because they are actresses first and they are used to be pushed to their limits in their films...
That might not be the case for a signer turned actress.

His movies are disturbing, even more the ones with Charlotte but we all know she loves it so, it must be very personal as a feeling to enjoy or not working with him...

 

[Benn98]

Maybe because they are actresses first and they are used to be pushed to their limits in their films...
That might not be the case for a signer turned actress....

My bias to her aside, I don't think it's about that Lola. Björk herself state in the piece above that because she rebuffed him, he reacted the way he did by making it about the 'craft' and painting a picture to outsiders that she's coming up short. I believe her story because A, she vowed never to work in film again which was odd because she ended up with an Oscar nomination, and B, it's not like her to run her mouth about stuff like this. For most part she actually prefers to keep to herself.

I always found it odd that Lars with an actress once or twice (big names), and never again....

 

[frk-frost]

I believe Björk is telling the truth. Lars went after another actress he worked with - Danish actress Anne Louise Hassing in The Idiots - his own published diary where he writes so much about her and, what he call his “professional falling in love with her” from the period is so confusing he clarified to the media he wasn’t actually in love with her. So I find it very plausible that he went for her, she rejected him and their obvious very hostile relationship stems from that. She very obviously disliked him. There are multiple sources that confirm “something” happened on set. Why is it people are more willing to believe and excuse a man with self confessed issues with drugs and alcohol, who has a long history of treating the women in his life terribly, who works with very eccentric people (his producer boss, who likes being naked in public and about whom there are also stories) AND he was in a power position in his relationship with Björk?

 

[frk-frost]

An update of sorts. The Danish press have (finally) researched and followed up on stories from Zentropa films, the company that Von Trier has made his movies with. Lots of stories have come out about one of the founders Peter Aalbæk, Von Trier’s most faithful defender. He is, in short, an old pig who has harassed and bothered numerous younger women and he’s being very angry in the press defending his right to grobe the butts of women if he wants to Non-Danish partners are lining up to accuse the company of not handling the problems in a serious way. I feel it proves Björk’s story while at the same time shows how Von Trier could get away with it. No one literally cared