Lars von Trier
Directing Born Apr 30, 1956 Copenhagen, Denmark 167 credits
Biography
Lars von Trier, born Lars Trier on 30 April 1956, is a Danish film director and screenwriter. He studied at the Danish Film School, where he adopted the prefix von. His career spans over four decades, beginning with his work as a child actor in the television series Secret Summer in 1968. He began making films at age 11, releasing his first experimental short, The Orchid Gardener, in 1977. His first feature film, The Element of Crime, was released in 1984. Associated with the Dogme 95 collective, von Trier is known for his female-centric parables and controversial subject matter. He has received numerous awards, including the Golden Palm, the Grand Prize, and the Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival.
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Frequent co-stars
Wayne Knight
10 shared titles
Ed Begley Jr.
7 shared titles
Dee Bradley Baker
6 shared titles
Wallace Shawn
5 shared titles
Tony Shalhoub
5 shared titles
Scott Lawrence
5 shared titles
Kenny Johnson
4 shared titles
Martin Donovan
4 shared titles
Jane Leeves
4 shared titles
John Mahoney
4 shared titles
Career timeline
Being Bo Widerberg
Creation of the Kingdom of Exodus
The Idiots Who Started The PartyLars von Trier: The Burden From Donald Duck
The House That Jack Built · StoryThe House That Jack Built · DirectorThe House That Jack Built · WriterThe House That Jack Built · IdeaBergman: A Year in a Life
Plankton Salesmen
En invitation fra Lars von Trier
Arteholic
Nymphomaniac: Vol. II · DirectorNymphomaniac: Vol. II · WriterNymphomaniac: Vol. I · DirectorNymphomaniac: Vol. I · WriterColors
A Royal Affair · Executive ProducerA Royal Affair · Script SupervisorSide by Side
Melancholia · DirectorMelancholia · ScreenplayThe Story of Film: An Odyssey
Dimension · DirectorDimension · Writer… But Film Is My Mistress
Antichrist · DirectorAntichrist · Writer
Ernst-Hugo
The Early Years: Erik Nietzsche Part 1The Early Years: Erik Nietzsche Part 1 · ScreenplayFilmbyen: The New Mecca of CinemaCinema 16: European Short Films (U.S. Edition) · DirectorTo Each His Own Cinema
The Boss of It AllThe Boss of It All · WriterThe Boss of It All · DirectorCinema 16: European Short Films (European Edition) · Director
KlovnKlovn · WriterManderlay · DirectorManderlay · WriterManderlay · Camera Operator
Stephen King's Kingdom Hospital · StoryStephen King's Kingdom Hospital · Executive ProducerStephen King's Kingdom Hospital · CreatorDogville ConfessionsKingdom Hospital · Writer
Dogville · DirectorDogville · Camera OperatorDogville · WriterDogville: The Pilot · DirectorDogville: The Pilot · Writer
Wag the Dogma
Dancer in the Dark · DirectorDancer in the Dark · Camera OperatorDancer in the Dark · WriterDancer in the Dark · LyricistThe Exhibited
The CopyistDogma 95, a Serious Game?
The IdiotsThe Idiots · DirectorThe Idiots · ScreenplayThe Idiots · Director of PhotographyIronie und Gottessuche - Das Kino des Lars von Trier
Tranceformer: A Portrait of Lars von Trier
Breaking the Waves · DirectorBreaking the Waves · Writer
I Am Curious, Film
The Kingdom · DirectorThe Kingdom · WriterThe Kingdom · ScreenplayThe Kingdom · ScriptThe Kingdom · Idea
Eurotrash
Portrait of Lars von TrierEuropaEuropa · DirectorEuropa · ScreenplayEuropa · Continuity
Medea · DirectorMedea · Adaptation
EpidemicEpidemic · DirectorEpidemic · ScreenplayEpidemic · Camera OperatorEpidemic · Editor
Full filmography
- Being Bo Widerberg (2025) as Self
- Creation of the Kingdom of Exodus (2022) as Self / Director / Devil
- The Idiots Who Started The Party (2020) as Sig selv
- Lars von Trier: The Burden From Donald Duck (2020) as Lars von Trier
- The House That Jack Built (2018) Story
- The House That Jack Built (2018) Director
- The House That Jack Built (2018) Writer
- The House That Jack Built (2018) Idea
- Bergman: A Year in a Life (2018) as Self
- Living the Light: Robby Müller (2018) as Self
- Plankton Salesmen (2017) as Self (archive footage)
- En invitation fra Lars von Trier (2015)
- Arteholic (2014) as Self
- Nymphomaniac: Vol. II (2013) Director
- Nymphomaniac: Vol. II (2013) Writer
- Nymphomaniac: Vol. I (2013) Director
- Nymphomaniac: Vol. I (2013) Writer
- Colors (2013) as Fuck Putas Edition
- Trespassing Bergman (2013) as Self
- A Royal Affair (2012) Executive Producer
- A Royal Affair (2012) Script Supervisor
- Side by Side (2012) as Self
- Melancholia (2011) Director
- Melancholia (2011) Screenplay
- The Story of Film: An Odyssey (2011) as Self
- Dimension (2010) Director
- Dimension (2010) Writer
- … But Film Is My Mistress (2010) as Self
- Antichrist (2009) Director
- Antichrist (2009) Writer
- Ernst-Hugo (2008) as Self
- The Early Years: Erik Nietzsche Part 1 (2007) as Narrator (voice)
- The Early Years: Erik Nietzsche Part 1 (2007) Screenplay
- Filmbyen: The New Mecca of Cinema (2007) as self
- Cinema 16: European Short Films (U.S. Edition) (2007) Director
- To Each His Own Cinema (2007) as The filmmaker (segment "Occupations")
- To Each His Own Cinema (2007) Director
- The Boss of It All (2006) as Narrator (uncredited)
- The Boss of It All (2006) Writer
- The Boss of It All (2006) Director
- Cinema 16: European Short Films (European Edition) (2006) Director
- Klovn (2005) as Lars von Trier
- Klovn (2005) Writer
- Manderlay (2005) Director
- Manderlay (2005) Writer
- Manderlay (2005) Camera Operator
- Idiotic Filters (2005)
- The Road to Manderlay (2005) as Self - director
- Looking Back At The Idiots (2005)
- Dear Wendy (2005) Screenplay
- Le court des grands (2005) Director
- Tilbageblik på Idioterne (2005) as Self - director
- A Conversation with Lars von Trier (2005) as Interviewee
- All About Anna (2005) Executive Producer
- Stephen King's Kingdom Hospital (2004) Story
- Stephen King's Kingdom Hospital (2004) Executive Producer
- Stephen King's Kingdom Hospital (2004) Creator
- Dogville Confessions (2004) as Self
- Kingdom Hospital (2004) Writer
- Visions of Europe (2004) Producer
- The South (2004) Producer
- Dogville (2003) Director
- Dogville (2003) Camera Operator
- Dogville (2003) Writer
- Dogville: The Pilot (2003) Director
- Dogville: The Pilot (2003) Writer
- The Purified (2003) as Himself
- Inside Björk (2003) as Self
- Screaming Men (2003) Thanks
- The Five Obstructions (2003) as Self / Obstructor (segment "The Conversations")
- The Five Obstructions (2003) Director
- The Five Obstructions (2003) Writer
- The Five Obstructions (2003) Idea
- Trier, Kidman og Cannes (2003) as Self
- Wag the Dogma (2001)
- Dancer in the Dark (2000) Director
- Dancer in the Dark (2000) Camera Operator
- Dancer in the Dark (2000) Writer
- Dancer in the Dark (2000) Lyricist
- The Exhibited (2000)
- Von Trier's 100 Eyes (2000) as Self
- FreeDogme (2000) as himself
- Italian for Beginners (2000) Associate Producer
- Playing the Fool (2000) as Self
- 100 Cameras: Capturing Lars von Trier's Vision (2000)
- 100 Cameras: Capturing Lars von Trier's Vision (2000)
- D-Day (2000) Director
- Kayaking On The Top Of The World (2000) Executive Producer
- The Name of This Film Is Dogme95 (2000) as Self
- HotMen CoolBoyz (2000) Producer
- The Copyist (1999) as Self
- Dogma 95, a Serious Game? (1999) as Self
- The Idiots (1998) as Interviewer (voice) (uncredited)
- The Idiots (1998) Director
- The Idiots (1998) Screenplay
- The Idiots (1998) Director of Photography
- Ironie und Gottessuche - Das Kino des Lars von Trier (1998) as Self
- The Humiliated (1998)
- In Doctor von Trier's Laboratory: Back to the Magic of Cinema (1998) as Self
- The Kingdom II (1998) as Self (uncredited)
- The Kingdom II (1998) Director
- The Kingdom II (1998) Screenplay
- Lars From 1 - 10 (1998)
- Constance (1998) Producer
- Tranceformer: A Portrait of Lars von Trier (1997)
- Breaking the Waves (1996) Director
- Breaking the Waves (1996) Writer
- I Am Curious, Film (1995) as Self
- The Kingdom (1994) Director
- The Kingdom (1994) Writer
- The Kingdom (1994) Screenplay
- The Kingdom (1994) Script
- The Kingdom (1994) Idea
- The Kingdom (1994) Creator
- The Kingdom (1994) as Self (uncredited)
- The Kingdom (1994) Director
- The Kingdom (1994) Screenplay
- Eurotrash (1993)
- Portrait of Lars von Trier (1991) as Himself
- Europa (1991) as Jew
- Europa (1991) Director
- Europa (1991) Screenplay
- Europa (1991) Continuity
- The Making of Europa (1991) as Self - Director
- Trier's Element (1991) as Himself
- Medea (1989) Director
- Medea (1989) Adaptation
- Epidemic (1987) as Self / Dr. Mesmer
- Epidemic (1987) Director
- Epidemic (1987) Screenplay
- Epidemic (1987) Camera Operator
- Epidemic (1987) Editor
- Sauna (1986) Director
- The Element of Crime (1984) as Schmuck of Ages
- The Element of Crime (1984) Director
- The Element of Crime (1984) Screenplay
- Ennenstadt Europa – The Making of The Element of Crime (1984) as Self - Film Director
- Images of Liberation (1982) Director
- Images of Liberation (1982) Writer
- Nocturne (1980) Director
- Nocturne (1980) Writer
- Kaptajn Klyde og hans venner vender tilbage (1980)
- Menthe: The Benefactor (1979)
- Menthe: The Benefactor (1979) Director
- Menthe: The Benefactor (1979) Writer
- The Orchid Gardener (1977) as Victor Morse
- The Orchid Gardener (1977) Writer
- The Orchid Gardener (1977) Director
- A Flower (1971) Director
- Why Try to Escape from That Which You Know You Can't Escape From? Because You Are a Coward (1970) Director
- Why Try to Escape from That Which You Know You Can't Escape From? Because You Are a Coward (1970) Writer
- Clandestine Summer (1969) as Lars
- Goodbye, I'm Kurt (1969) as Børge
- Clandestine Summer (1969) as Lars Johansen
- Good Night, Dear (1968)
- Good Night, Dear (1968) Director
- Good Night, Dear (1968) Writer
- Good Night, Dear (1968) Director of Photography
- Good Night, Dear (1968) Editor
- The Trip to Squash Land (1967) Director
- Grimme Award (1964) as Self
- After Director
- After Writer
- Descendant - curated by Lars von Trier
- The Missing Films as Himself
- Nocebo Director
- Nocebo Writer