Per Fly

Per Fly
Name	Per Fly
Birth date	1960-07-15
Birth place	Copenhagen, Denmark
Occupation	Film director, screenwriter, theatre director
Years active	1990s–present
Notable works	Manslaughter; The Bench; The Inheritance
Awards	Bodil Award; Robert Award; Berlin International Film Festival nominations

Per Fly Per Fly is a Danish film director and screenwriter known for realist drama and social critique. He has directed features, television series and stage productions, earning national and international recognition through awards and festival selections. His work often intersects with Danish Film Institute, Copenhagen International Film Festival, and collaborations with prominent Scandinavian actors and institutions.

Early life and education

Per Fly was born in Copenhagen and grew up amid the cultural milieus of Denmark and the broader Scandinavian arts scene. He studied at the Danish National School of Theatre and Contemporary Dance and later attended programs associated with the National Film and Television School influence in Europe, training in directing, screenwriting and production. During his formative years he engaged with theatre companies in Aarhus, connected to institutions like the Royal Danish Theatre and regional ensembles, and developed early relationships with producers from Nimbus Film and broadcasters such as DR (broadcaster) and TV 2 (Denmark). His education placed him in networks including alumni ties to the European Film Academy and exchanges with practitioners from Sweden, Norway, and the United Kingdom.

Film and theatre career

Per Fly’s career spans film, television and stage, with an early focus on socially grounded narratives. He began with short films and theatre projects that toured festivals such as the Copenhagen International Documentary Festival and venues associated with the Odense Teater and Malmö Stadsteater. Transitioning to feature cinema, his debut feature entered the circuit of the Berlin International Film Festival and drew attention from critics at Sundance Film Festival and Toronto International Film Festival. Fly worked repeatedly with production companies like Zentropa and SF Studios and partnered with producers who had credits on works by directors such as Lars von Trier, Bille August, and Susanne Bier.

In television, Fly directed and developed series that screened on DR (broadcaster) and reached audiences via co-productions with SVT and NRK. His theatre direction included productions staged at the Royal Danish Theatre and collaborations with playwrights connected to the Danish Playwrights' Association and companies linked to the Gothenburg City Theatre. Over time he also engaged in mentoring roles at institutions like the National Film School of Denmark and participated in panels at the Venice Film Festival and Cannes Film Festival.

Major works and awards

Notable films include titles that achieved both domestic awards and international festival presence. One of his acclaimed films received a Bodil Award and multiple Robert Awards, and was selected for competition at the Berlin International Film Festival. Other works were showcased at the Toronto International Film Festival, Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, and the San Sebastián International Film Festival. He has been honored by bodies such as the Danish Arts Foundation and received recognition from critics’ associations in Scandinavia and the European Film Academy.

His filmography comprises collaborations with actors known from Danish and international cinema, leading to ensemble nominations and acting awards at ceremonies including the Bodil Awards and Robert Awards. Television projects garnered industry honors and nominations from Nordic Council Film Prize and festivals that spotlight serial drama. On stage, Fly’s productions were recognized in regional theatre awards and reviewed by publications connected to institutions like the Danish Theatre Critics Association.

Personal life

Fly’s personal connections place him amid a network of Scandinavian cultural figures, including colleagues from the Royal Danish Theatre, critics affiliated with Politiken and Berlingske, and filmmakers associated with the Dogme 95 movement though his style differs from that manifesto. He has participated in boards and advisory groups related to the Danish Film Institute and arts councils, and has spoken at events hosted by Goethe-Institut branches and European cultural forums. His residence in Copenhagen situates him within the city’s film and theatre community, maintaining ties to family and collaborators across Denmark, Sweden and Norway.

Style and themes

Fly’s work emphasizes social realism, intimate character studies and explorations of class, responsibility and ethics. He often situates narratives in urban and institutional settings linked to Copenhagen and other Nordic locales, examining intersections with welfare debates debated in forums such as the Folketinget and cultural commentary appearing in outlets like Information (newspaper). His aesthetic has been discussed alongside directors such as Thomas Vinterberg, Lars von Trier, and Bille August for its focus on performance and moral complexity, while critics also compare his approach to European contemporaries featured at festivals like Cannes and Berlin. Themes recur around family dynamics, professional duty, and societal pressures, engaging actors trained at institutions like the Danish National School of Performing Arts and collaborating with writers from the Danish Authors' Society.

Category:Danish film directors Category:1960 births Category:Living people