

Once There Was a War
Der var engang en krig
“Portrait of a boy.”
Synopsis
The film is a window into the world of fifteen-year-old Tim, sharing his joys and sorrows and his first encounter with love, during the German occupation of Denmark in World War II.
Top Cast
Explore Star Directory →Ole Busck
Tim
Kjeld Jacobsen
Tim's father
Astrid Villaume
Tim's mother
Katja Miehe-Renard
Kate – Tim's sister
Birgit Bendix Madsen
Jane – Tim's sister
Christian Gottschalch
Tim's grandfather
Yvonne Ingdal
Lis
Karen Marie Løwert
Lis' mother
Jan Heinig Hansen
Markus – Tim's friend
Birgit Brüel
Markus' mother
Gregers Ussing
Frank
Jørgen Beck
Friend
Elsa Kourani
Friend's wife
Henry Skjær
Headmaster
Holger Perfort
Gymnastics teacher
Niels Barfoed
Mathematics teacher
Tommy Kenter
Schoolboy
Aase Due
German refugee in shop
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Palle Kjærulff-Schmidt
- Screenplay & Story
- Klaus Rifbjerg
- Original Title
- Der var engang en krig
- Country of Origin
- Denmark
- Spoken Languages
- Danish, English, German
- Runtime
- 1h 32m
- Production Studios
- Nordisk Film Denmark
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Palle Kjærulff-Schmidt
Klaus Rifbjerg
Claus Loof
Ole Steen
Department Leadership Roster
Henning Bahs
Production Design
Ole Steen
Editor
Klaus Rifbjerg
Writer
Claus Loof
Director of Photography
Palle Kjærulff-Schmidt
Director
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Once There Was a War.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Once There Was a War.
War: World War II
Auto-filled from Letterboxd lists
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Frequently Asked Questions About Once There Was a War
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Once There Was a War about?
The film is a window into the world of fifteen-year-old Tim, sharing his joys and sorrows and his first encounter with love, during the German occupation of Denmark in World War II.
Who directed Once There Was a War?
Once There Was a War was directed by Palle Kjærulff-Schmidt.
Who stars in Once There Was a War?
The principal cast of Once There Was a War includes Ole Busck, Kjeld Jacobsen, Astrid Villaume, Katja Miehe-Renard, Birgit Bendix Madsen.
When was Once There Was a War released and how long is it?
Once There Was a War was released in 1966 with a total runtime of 1h 32m.




















