The Idiots = Idioterne

The second of three films (“Breaking the waves” and “Dancer in the dark”) directed by Von Trier, The Idiots too is created using a female protagonist put in a stressful situation and as a work, was created adhering to the rules of the Dogme 95 Manifesto. Karen (Bodil Jorgensen) is a lone diner in a restaurant when a mentally retarded man starts to disturb everyone and creates a scene. He, his female helper and other male simpleton coax the good-natured Karen to leave with them in a taxi. Once along for the ride Karen discovers that the men were simply pretending to avoid paying the bill. But being an “idiot” is not something the men do infrequently, in fact they are part of a small community living in a large house of men and women who all take part in the practice of ‘spazzing’ or role playing ‘idiots’ to lose inhibitions both social and sexual. The group leader Stoffer (Jens Albinus) pushes everyone to the limit to see just how far they are willing to take the practice into their personal lives beyond the select commune atmosphere of the house. Offensive or funny, dramatic or pathetic, this film about, by and for idiots will certainly challenge some viewers. Shown in competition at the 1998 Cannes Film Festival. WARNING: SEXUALLY EXPLICIT