'I'm Not Mel Gibson,' Says Director Lars von Trier

By Moviefone Editors Posted May 21st 2011 11:54AM

Damage control is underway for Lars von Trier. The Danish director of Kirsten Dunst's latest film made incendiary remarks in Cannes claiming to "sympathize" with Hitler, which got him swiftly banned from the film festival.

Now, while von Trier seems to be loving his new status as bad-boy of the fest, he also insists, "I'm not Mel Gibson."

As it happens, a rant-free Gibson popped up in Cannes this week, making a red carpet comeback to promote 'The Beaver.'

At a roundtable interview on Thursday, von Trier said: "If any of you would like to hit me, you're perfectly welcome. I must warn you that I might enjoy it." He then reacted to news that Cannes wanted him gone. "I'm very proud of being 'persona non grata,'" he explained. "I've never been that before in my life, and that suits me extremely well."

What about the anti-Semitic nature of von Trier's recent remarks at Cannes? He explained that in using the word "Nazi," he was simply using "stupid" Danish slang in which "Nazi" is a synonym for "German." If true, that still doesn't begin to explain his comment claiming to "understand" and "sympathize" with Adolf Hitler.

The director acknowledged, "I'm known for provocations, but I like provocations when they have a purpose." He admitted, "This had no purpose whatsoever. Because I'm not Mel Gibson. I'm definitely not Mel Gibson."

He offered to have 'Melancholia,' starring Dunst and Keifer Sutherland, withdrawn from the festival, yet it remains in competition. In the unlikely event it wins the Palme d'Or, the controversial director will not be invited to accept the award, a festival spokesperson said.

On Friday, Peter Aalbaek Jensen, who co-founded Danish production company Zentropa with Von Trier in 1992, said: "Zentropa would like to apologize to all [who] have been [affected] in any way....We would like to make it perfectly clear that Zentropa does not share Lars von Trier's view of what might be funny to say at a press conference, and that his comments are a direct contradiction of Zentropa's values."

Jensen also expressed "deepest regrets" to Susanne Bier, the award-winning Danish director who was the original target of von Trier's Nazi comments. Oddly, Zentropa actually produced Bier's 'In a Better World,' which won the 2011 Best Foreign Film Oscar, and the company produces Bier's upcoming film, 'All You Need Is Love.'

Teodora Films, Italian co-producer of 'All You Need Is Love,' sided with Bier. "Von Trier's words, even though he said them jokingly, are absolutely unacceptable," said an official with Teodora, who made a "solemn promise that we will never release a Von Trier movie in Italy."

The Danish Film Institute, underwriter of many von Trier movies, chastised the filmmaker: "It is unfortunate that great cinema should drown in such controversy totally irrelevant to the film itself. But there's nothing new in the fact that great artists make stupid remarks."

Magnolia still plans to release von Trier's 'Meloncholia' in the U.S. this fall.

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Tags: cannes, Kirsten Dunst, lars von trier, mel gibson

Comments

(29)

Saturday 21 May

By lita

Highest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

While he may not be Mel Gibson, he is certainly as much an idiot as Gibson is. Say something stupid and let the chips fall where they may.

By Poovnoga

He's not Mel Gibson?

Is he Mark Wahlberg then?

Wahlberg called a Vietnamese man a racial slur and beat him until the man was blinded in one eye.

Why don't you care about him?

Why is there such imbalance in Hollywood about who gets shunned and who doesn't?

By peter

Lowest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

there is nothing wrong with not liking a certain type of people.

yes, there IS something very wrong with not liking a certain kind of people. It's called racism.

By themeeker

I don't dislike a people, I dislike THIS person. He's a jerk and so's Gibson. Just because he isn't like the idiot Mel doesn't make him a better person. Just a different kind of creep.

Sunday 22 May

By BTDT

Vote down Vote up Report this

This schmuck is mishugana.

By Ricky

Mel Gibson never said that he understood Hitler or something to that effect. This moron is looking to divert attention away from himself.

High Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

Gibson's father is a goosestepping nazi, and Mel is a rageaholic bigot. That dingleberry didn't fall far from the azzhole.

So what's Mark Wahlberg then????

By Karen

Why bring Gibson into this? You said what you said, just explain yourself and be done with it. Instead you look like an even bigger loser by trying to divert attention off yourself to events that took place 5 years ago during a drunk driving incident. What a tool.

Tuesday 31 May

By Melanie

Agree with you, Karen! Plus why do that to the actors and actresses who starred in your film? He actually offered to have the film withdrawn? Jerk.

By Cindy Stauffer

What a jacka**

By Brenner

You certainly are NOT Mel Gibson. Mr. Gibson has Talent, is an A lister and a Humanitarian. Dont think so highly of yourself and leave Mel out of your troubled life loser!

By slaude

Humanitarian???Barberian maybe.

Is Mark Wahlberg a barberian too? Or just Gibson????

By Barry S

Don't people understand that Hitler & the Nazis were responsible for 60 million people being killed. This is not cute, funny or entertaining in any way. I am just amazed at the ignorance & stupidity of these people especially the Europeans who were affected by the Nazis.

By Petes

First of all he didn't say what was quoted. And second of all, nobody cares. It was almost 70 years ago. Just like you don't care about the 25000 people dying of starvation everything shingle day today on this planet. As spare us the hypocrisy, people care about those close to them, not random strangers.

By Salisha

Low Ranked Vote down Vote up Report this

Hi,

Oh please. Ur not Mel? Course not.
Mel is a talented and good looking man. Look at U.
What about a shower and a shave?
Get a life, looser
S Mc

By JEB BUCKINGHAM

You are vorse zan Mel Gibson, Heir von Trier!

By teakin88

No, Lars, you are not Mel Gibson. Mel Gibson can at least be shamed into apologizing for his crap.

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