Applause
2009
A stage actress capable of both critical acclaim and self-destruction fights to reclaim her place in her sons' lives, in the Danish drama that made Paprika Steen a name to know.
Cast
Paprika Steen, Michael Falch
Where to Watch
Thea Barfoed is a stage actress equally capable of commanding a theater and unraveling under the weight of her own alcoholism. Divorced from her husband Christian and stripped of custody of her two sons, she sets out to use every skill she has — including the ones honed for the stage — to win her way back into their lives.
The film marks the directorial debut of Martin Zandvliet, who would go on to earn an Academy Award nomination for Land of Mine. But it is Paprika Steen's performance as Thea that defines Applause — a portrayal so raw it drew Best Actress honors from the Nashville Film Festival, the Hamptons International Film Festival, the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, and Denmark's own Robert Awards.