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Nicolas Winding Refn is a Actor, Director, Scriptwriter, Producer and Script Supervisor Danois born on 29 september 1970 at Copenhagen (Danemark)

Nicolas Winding Refn

Nicolas Winding Refn
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Nationality Danemark
Birth 29 september 1970 (53 years) at Copenhagen (Danemark)

Nicolas Winding Refn (born 29 September 1970) is a Danish film director, screenwriter and producer. He moved to the United States in 1978 and attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts but was expelled for throwing a table into a wall. He is known for directing the Pusher films (1996, 2004, 2005) and Drive (2011).

Biography

Jeunesse et révélation au Danemark

Nicolas Winding Refn est un cinéaste danois qui vit à Copenhague. Il est le fils d'un monteur, Anders Refn, et d'une photographe, Vibeke Winding.

En 1978, il déménage avec sa mère et son beau-père aux États-Unis, à New York. Ils y restent jusqu'en 1987 avant de retourner au Danemark. Nicolas a suivi à New York des cours à l'American Academy of Dramatic Arts.

Il est connu pour la réalisation de la trilogie Pusher, films sortis entre 1996 et 2005.

En 2008, il est membre du jury lors de la quinzième édition du festival Fantastic'Arts.



Percée hollywoodienne (années 2010)

En mars 2010, il a avoué n'être plus attaché à l'adaptation hollywoodienne de L'Étrange Cas du docteur Jekyll et de M. Hyde, préférant se concentrer sur un nouveau métrage prochainement tourné en Asie. Il reçoit le Prix de la mise en scène, pour son film Drive lors du Festival de Cannes 2011.

En mai 2013, Nicolas est de retour à Cannes pour la deuxième fois pour présenter Only God Forgives en compétition officielle. C'est sa deuxième collaboration avec Ryan Gosling après Drive. À la fin de la projection officielle à Cannes, le film a été sifflé par une partie des spectateurs. Quand on a appris à Nicolas Winding Refn que le film avait été sifflé, il n'a pas été surpris et a répondu que « L'art est fait pour diviser, car si l'art ne divise pas, il ne pénètre pas, et s'il ne pénètre pas, vous ne faites que le consommer ». Contrairement au Festival de Cannes 2011, Nicolas Winding Refn ne remporte pas de prix en 2013 sur la Croisette.

En juin 2012, on apprend que Nicolas Winding Refn s'occupe d'adapter le film de 1968 Barbarella en série télévisée. Il sera réalisateur et producteur exécutif sur cette série, même s'il n'est pas acquis qu'il réalise d'autres épisodes après le pilote. En mai 2013, la série est toujours en phase d'écriture. En janvier 2014, on apprend que Nicolas Winding Refn reste producteur exécutif de la série, mais qu'il ne réalisera pas d'épisodes.

Le parti pris du réalisateur pour la violence spectaculaire et la noirceur, sans modération, révèle une volonté de sonder toutes les facettes de l'être humain et d'explorer les sombres recoins de la personnalité. Le thème de la violence lui permet également de développer des recherches narratives et plastiques singulières (temporalité dilatée, ambiance hypnotique, personnages fantomatiques et univers cauchemardesque enchevêtrant lumière stylisée et références à des classiques du cinéma). Lors de la sortie de Bronson, Nicolas Winding Refn déclara : « L'art est un acte de violence. Je m'intéresse aux extrêmes, un mélange de poésie et de violence ». Il attache par ailleurs une grande importance à l'aspect visuel, en particulier à la couleur : « Je fonctionne par contraste. J’emploie beaucoup de rouge, qui véhicule l’émotion. Le cinéma est d’abord un média visuel : les mots n’ont pas d’importance ». Il est réputé notamment pour son usage de couleurs saturées.

En mai 2014, il est membre du jury des longs métrages au 67e Festival de Cannes, présidé par Jane Campion.

En février 2015, Refn enregistre un entretien avec William Friedkin au sujet du Convoi de la peur.

Certaines pop stars l'inspirent. En octobre 2015, Nicolas Winding Refn déclare que sa sensibilité est très proche de la pop girly et qu'il aurait adoré réaliser des clips pour Kate Bush ou Goldfrapp. Lors du festival Lumière 2015, Nicolas Winding Refn expose une partie de sa collection d'affiches de cinéma d'exploitation et publie L'Art du regard, Une petite histoire du cinéma d'exploitation des années 60 et 70 en 316 affiches .

En mai 2016, il est de retour en compétition au 69e Festival de Cannes avec son nouveau film The Neon Demon, un thriller horrifique et érotique avec Elle Fanning, Christina Hendricks et Keanu Reeves.

En mai 2019, il revient à Cannes mais hors compétition pour présenter deux épisodes de sa nouvelle série Too Old to Die Young avec Miles Teller dans le rôle principal. Il y donne également une masterclass pour revenir sur sa carrière.

Best films

Drive (2011)
(Director)
Only God Forgives (2013)
(Director)

Usually with

Zlatko Burić
Zlatko Burić
(6 films)
Anne Østerud
Anne Østerud
(5 films)
Kim Bodnia
Kim Bodnia
(4 films)
Source : Wikidata

Filmography of Nicolas Winding Refn (17 films)

Display filmography as list

Actor

Jodorowsky's Dune, 1h30
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Documentary
Themes Films about films, Documentary films about business, Documentary films about the film industry, Documentary films about films
Actors Alejandro Jodorowsky, Michel Seydoux, Nicolas Winding Refn, Brontis Jodorowsky, Amanda Lear, Richard Stanley
Roles Self
Rating79% 3.997873.997873.997873.997873.99787
Au début des années 1970, après les succès en Europe des films El Topo et La Montagne sacrée, le producteur français Michel Seydoux propose au réalisateur Alejandro Jodorowsky de produire son prochain film, lui laissant carte blanche. Jodorowsky se lance alors dans son projet le plus ambitieux : l'adaptation du roman Dune de Frank Herbert, qu'il n'a pas lu au départ, donnant par hasard le nom de cette œuvre à Seydoux car il en a entendu du bien par un ami. Mais, stimulé par le roman, il souhaite en faire une expérience spirituelle qui changera la vision des spectateurs, ce projet devenant pour lui un idéal mystique et conceptuel, du fait notamment de la présence dans le roman de l'épice, qu'il relie avec les excès de son époque (utilisation du LSD par les hippies, etc.).
Pusher
Pusher (2012)
, 1h27
Directed by Luis Prieto
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Thriller, Action, Crime
Themes Medical-themed films, Films about drugs
Actors Richard Coyle, Agyness Deyn, Mehmet Ferda, Neil Maskell, Zlatko Burić, Bronson Webb
Roles Dutch Bob
Rating54% 2.7489852.7489852.7489852.7489852.748985
Frank is a low-level cocaine dealer in England, conducting business with his partner Tony and would-be-girlfriend Flo. When a former cellmate contacts him for a large drug deal, Frank borrows £48,000 of cocaine from Milo, a dangerous Serbian drug lord. He promises to return to Milo with the money the next day, but police raid the deal and Frank is forced to dump the cocaine in a duck lake. In custody, Frank is told by police that Tony has confessed to the deal, but they release him the next day. Frank quickly finds Tony and beats him savagely with a baseball bat.
Chinaman
Chinaman (2005)
, 1h28
Directed by Henrik Ruben Genz
Genres Drama, Comedy, Romance
Actors Bjarne Henriksen, Vivian Wu, Charlotte Fich, Nicolas Winding Refn, Johan Rabaeus
Roles The Doctor
Rating69% 3.493653.493653.493653.493653.49365
A plumber, Keld (Bjarne Henriksen), is bored with his job and his life. Rie (Charlotte Fich), Keld's wife, tries to interest him in a vacation or dance classes. When this last-ditch attempt fails, Rie, tired of Keld's apathy, divorces him and asks for DKK 50,000 (US $8,817). Keld continues in his downward spiral, ignoring his customers and closing his business indefinitely.
Pusher
Pusher (1996)
, 1h45
Directed by Nicolas Winding Refn
Origin Danemark
Genres Drama, Thriller, Action, Crime
Themes Medical-themed films, Films about drugs, Films about suicide, Gangster films
Actors Kim Bodnia, Zlatko Burić, Mads Mikkelsen, Laura Drasbæk, Peter Andersson, Lars Bom (Olesen)
Roles Brian
Rating72% 3.647323.647323.647323.647323.64732
The film begins in Copenhagen with a low-level drug dealer Frank (Kim Bodnia) going to a heroin deal with his sidekick Tonny (Mads Mikkelsen). The pair only manage to sell some of their product, and then waste time about town. Frank then visits his friend Vic (Laura Drasbæk), a prostitute who holds some of Frank's stash for a fee. Vic wants to have a serious relationship with Frank, but Frank prefers to keep it purely casual.

Director

The Neon Demon, 1h58
Directed by Nicolas Winding Refn
Origin France
Genres Drama, Thriller, Horror
Themes Films about sexuality, Erotic films, Erotic thriller films, LGBT-related film, Lesbian-related films
Actors Elle Fanning, Alessandro Nivola, Karl Glusman, Keanu Reeves, Christina Hendricks, Abbey Lee Kershaw
Rating61% 3.0571753.0571753.0571753.0571753.057175
Jesse, an aspiring model, moves to Los Angeles, where her vitality and youth are devoured by a group of beauty-obsessed women who will take any means to get what she has.
Only God Forgives, 1h30
Directed by Nicolas Winding Refn
Origin France
Genres Drama, Thriller, Action, Crime
Themes Films about families, Films about sexuality, Erotic films, Films about prostitution
Actors Ryan Gosling, Kristin Scott Thomas, Tom Burke, Rhatha Phongam
Rating57% 2.851962.851962.851962.851962.85196
Julian is an American expatriate who runs a muay thai club in Bangkok, Thailand, that is a front for a drug smuggling operation. His older brother Billy rapes and kills an under-age sex worker and is caught by the Thai police. Lieutenant Chang allows the girl's father, Choi Yan Lee, to beat Billy, but Choi kills him. However, Chang does not care about Billy's death; instead, Chang cuts off the father's forearm for allowing his daughter to be a sex worker.
Drive
Drive (2011)
, 1h43
Directed by Nicolas Winding Refn
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Thriller, Action, Noir, Crime
Themes Transport films, Films about automobiles, Road movies, Chase films
Actors Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan, Bryan Cranston, Christina Hendricks, Ron Perlman, Oscar Isaac
Rating77% 3.898073.898073.898073.898073.89807
The unnamed driver (Ryan Gosling), who lives in an Echo Park, Los Angeles apartment, works repairing cars and as a part-time movie double. Managed in both jobs by auto shop owner Shannon (Bryan Cranston), the duo also provides a getaway driver service. With Shannon organizing the events, the driver gives criminals only five minutes to perpetrate robberies and reach his car. After meeting his new neighbor, Irene (Carey Mulligan), the driver soon becomes close to her and befriends her young son, Benicio (Kaden Leos), while Irene's husband, Standard Gabriel (Oscar Isaac), is in prison. After her husband is freed, Irene still asks the driver to visit them.
Valhalla Rising, 1h29
Directed by Nicolas Winding Refn
Origin Danemark
Genres Drama, Science fiction, Fantasy, Action, Adventure
Themes Seafaring films, Films based on mythology, Transport films, Films set in the Viking Age, Films based on Norse mythology
Actors Mads Mikkelsen, Jamie Sives, Gary Lewis, Alexander Morton, Ewan Stewart, Tsering Dorjee
Rating60% 3.0009253.0009253.0009253.0009253.000925
The prologue states that at the dawn of time there was man and nature. Then men bearing crosses drove the heathens to the fringes of the earth.
Bronson
Bronson (2008)
, 1h32
Directed by Nicolas Winding Refn
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Drama, Biography, Action, Crime
Themes Prison films
Actors Tom Hardy, Matt King, James Lance, Amanda Burton, Kelly Adams, Jonny Phillips
Rating69% 3.499863.499863.499863.499863.49986
The film begins with Bronson introducing himself to the camera, stating he always wanted to be famous. He cannot sing, he cannot act, and so he shows the calling he found: the film cuts to a naked Bronson fighting several prison guards in a cage. The film then presents several assorted points from his life, inter-cut with Bronson on stage before an audience in several stages of performance make-up, and speaking directly to camera while seemingly behind bars.
Pusher 3
Pusher 3 (2005)
, 1h45
Directed by Nicolas Winding Refn
Origin Danemark
Genres Thriller, Mob film, Action, Crime
Themes Medical-themed films, Films about drugs, Gangster films
Actors Zlatko Burić, Linse (real name Lenina Christiansen), Kim Bodnia, Laura Drasbæk
Rating72% 3.648383.648383.648383.648383.64838
Milo, an aging Serbian drug lord, attends a meeting of Narcotics Anonymous. The five-days-sober Milo admits that he is worried that the stress of cooking for his daughter's 25th birthday celebration will cause him to relapse into using. Milo departs the meeting to pick up a drug shipment with his henchman Branko. Though he requested heroin, the shipment turns out to be 10,000 ecstasy pills. Seeking an explanation, Milo meets with his Albanian supplier Luan. The Albanians agree to send a new shipment of heroin and allow Milo to try to sell the ecstasy as well.
Pusher II
Pusher II (2004)
, 1h40
Directed by Nicolas Winding Refn
Origin Danemark
Genres Drama, Thriller, Action, Crime
Themes Medical-themed films, Films about drugs, Gangster films
Actors Mads Mikkelsen, Zlatko Burić, Linse (real name Lenina Christiansen)
Rating72% 3.648733.648733.648733.648733.64873
The film opens some time after the original film with Tonny serving out his last day of a prison sentence. His cell-mate delivers a monologue advising Tonny to conquer his fear. He then reminds Tonny that he owes him money, but has chosen to give him more time out of respect for Tonny's father, the Duke, a vicious gangster. Upon his release, Tonny visits his father's garage business seeking employment. The Duke has a younger son from a different mother now and receives Tonny coldly, but he ultimately allows Tonny to work for him on a trial basis. Tonny steals a Ferrari in an effort to impress his father, but the car is rejected and the Duke berates Tonny mercilessly for his lack of responsibility.
Fear X
Fear X (2003)
, 1h31
Directed by Nicolas Winding Refn
Origin Danemark
Genres Thriller, Horror
Actors John Turturro, James Remar, Deborah Kara Unger, William Allen Young, Gene Davis, Nadia Litz
Rating59% 2.997352.997352.997352.997352.99735
A security guard's wife is killed in a seemingly random incident. Prompted by mysterious visions, he journeys to discover the true circumstances surrounding her murder.
Bleeder
Bleeder (1999)
, 1h38
Directed by Nicolas Winding Refn
Origin Danemark
Genres Drama, Thriller, Horror, Crime
Actors Kim Bodnia, Mads Mikkelsen, Zlatko Burić
Rating67% 3.3990753.3990753.3990753.3990753.399075
The film follows the friends Leo and Lenny, who lives in Nørrebro, a working-class neighborhood in Copenhagen. Leo lives in a rundown apartment with his girlfriend Louise. Lenny is a shy and quiet film expert who works with his and Leo's mutual friend Kitjo, in a video store that rents out art films as well as a huge collection of pornographic films.
Pusher
Pusher (1996)
, 1h45
Directed by Nicolas Winding Refn
Origin Danemark
Genres Drama, Thriller, Action, Crime
Themes Medical-themed films, Films about drugs, Films about suicide, Gangster films
Actors Kim Bodnia, Zlatko Burić, Mads Mikkelsen, Laura Drasbæk, Peter Andersson, Lars Bom (Olesen)
Rating72% 3.647323.647323.647323.647323.64732
The film begins in Copenhagen with a low-level drug dealer Frank (Kim Bodnia) going to a heroin deal with his sidekick Tonny (Mads Mikkelsen). The pair only manage to sell some of their product, and then waste time about town. Frank then visits his friend Vic (Laura Drasbæk), a prostitute who holds some of Frank's stash for a fee. Vic wants to have a serious relationship with Frank, but Frank prefers to keep it purely casual.