Dancer in the Dark
“In a world of shadows, she found the light of life.”
Synopsis
Selma, a Czech immigrant on the verge of blindness, struggles to make ends meet for herself and her young son, who has inherited the same genetic disorder and will suffer the same fate without an expensive operation. When life becomes increasingly difficult, Selma learns to cope through her love of musicals, dreaming up little numbers to the rhythmic beats of her surroundings.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
AFS Presents: DANCER IN THE DARKOfficial
Type: Trailer • Published 2024-05-10
Top Cast
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Björk
Selma Jezkova
Catherine Deneuve
Kathy
David Morse
Bill Houston
Peter Stormare
Jeff
Joel Grey
Oldrich Novy
Cara Seymour
Linda Houston
Vladica Kostic
Gene Jezkova
Jean-Marc Barr
Norman
Vincent Paterson
Samuel
Siobhan Fallon Hogan
Brenda
Željko Ivanek
District Attorney
Udo Kier
Dr. Porkorny
Jens Albinus
Morty
Reathel Bean
Judge
Mette Berggreen
Receptionist
Lars Michael Dinesen
Defense Attorney / Dancer
Katrine Falkenberg
Suzan / Dancer
Michael Flessas
Angry Man
Release History & Theatrical Window
Rio de Janeiro International Film Festival
Festival / Special Debut
October 6, 2000
Wide Cinema Exhibition
March 20, 2001
Physical Home Media
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$12.5M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$40.1M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
3.2x
+$27.6M net gain
Theatrical Status
Mega Hit
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Lars von Trier
- Screenplay & Story
- Sjón, Lars von Trier
- Original Score
- Björk
- Original Title
- Dancer in the Dark
- Country of Origin
- Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 2h 20m
- Production Budget
- $12.5M
- Worldwide Gross
- $40.1M
- Production Studios
- Zentropa Entertainments, DR, SVT Drama, ARTE, France 3 Cinéma, Blind Spot Pictures, Liberator Productions, Íslenska kvikmyndasamsteypan, Pain Unlimited Filmproduktion, Trust Film Svenska, Cinematograph, What Else?, ARTE France Cinéma, Film i Väst, WDR
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Lars von Trier
Sjón, Lars von Trier
Björk
Robby Müller, Eric Kress
François Gédigier, Molly Malene Stensgaard
Vibeke Windeløv, Peter Aalbæk Jensen, Leo Pescarolo
Department Leadership Roster
Lars von Trier
Director
Vibeke Windeløv
Producer
Robby Müller
Director of Photography
François Gédigier
Editor
Molly Malene Stensgaard
Editor
Karl Júlíusson
Production Design
Manon Rasmussen
Costume Design
Leo Pescarolo
Producer
Björk
Original Music Composer
Lars von Trier
Writer
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
R: Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
International Certification Matrix
FSK 12 — Restricted to viewers aged 12 and older.
Suitable only for 15 years and over.
Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Dancer in the Dark.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Dancer in the Dark.
סרטים מתעדכן
List created by QlickPlay for Kodi.
European Cinema
Auto-generated by festival-lists — do not edit by hand.
Movie Collection
戛纳电影节金棕榈奖
70 years of the Palme d’or / 70 ans de la Palme d’or 戛纳电影节历届金棕榈奖（及前身大奖）获奖影片。 *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-18 07:43:04 UTC+8)*
1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die
1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die (All editions 2003-2024). A cumulative list including films subsequently removed in later editions. Totaling 1,260 films as of Nov 2024. 《1001部死前必看的电影》（2003-2024 全版本累积版）： 包含自2003年首版至2024年11月德语版修订的所有影片。即使在后期版本中被剔除的电影也予以保留。 *注：榜单源数据中包含部分剧集/迷你剧，由于本片单只收录纯电影，故不再收录以下非电影条目：* • [#019] Lovers Rock (2020) • [#418] Dekalog (1989) *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-18 07:40:36 UTC+8)*
Letterboxd's Top 500 Films
Letterboxd's Top 500 Films. Ranks narrative feature films by average member rating (minimum 25,000 ratings). Excludes documentaries, shorts, and TV series. Letterboxd 官方 Top 500 电影榜单： 根据用户平均评分排名的剧情长片（最低2.5万评价门槛）。已排除纪录片、短片及剧集。 *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-18 07:35:27 UTC+8)*
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Frequently Asked Questions About Dancer in the Dark
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Dancer in the Dark about?
Selma, a Czech immigrant on the verge of blindness, struggles to make ends meet for herself and her young son, who has inherited the same genetic disorder and will suffer the same fate without an expensive operation. When life becomes increasingly difficult, Selma learns to cope through her love of musicals, dreaming up little numbers to the rhythmic beats of her surroundings.
Who directed Dancer in the Dark?
Dancer in the Dark was directed by Lars von Trier.
Who stars in Dancer in the Dark?
The principal cast of Dancer in the Dark includes Björk, Catherine Deneuve, David Morse, Peter Stormare, Joel Grey.
When was Dancer in the Dark released and how long is it?
Dancer in the Dark was released in 2000 with a total runtime of 2h 20m.
What was the box office and production budget of Dancer in the Dark?
Dancer in the Dark had a reported production budget of $12.5M and grossed $40.1M at the worldwide box office (3.2 return on budget, classified as a blockbuster success).
Who composed the musical score for Dancer in the Dark?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Dancer in the Dark was composed by Björk.
What is the age rating and content advisory for Dancer in the Dark?
Dancer in the Dark holds official age classifications: AU: MA 15+; CA: 14A; DE: 12 (FSK 12 — Restricted to viewers aged 12 and older.); FR: TP; GB: 15 (Suitable only for 15 years and over.); US: R (Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.).