The Five Obstructions
- Jørgen Leth: he himself
- Lars von Trier: he himself
- Claus Nissen: man in the movie 1967
- Maiken Algren: Woman in the movie 1967
The Five Obstructions (Original title: De fem benspænd ) is a cinematic experiment from 2002 to 2003 was made by the Danish film director Lars von Trier directed with his older colleague and friend Jørgen Leth. Leth should turn his short film The Perfect Human (Det perfect menneske ) 1967 five times and comply with every new version of conditions that had set up of Trier. The film contains discussions between Leth and von Trier, Leth at photographs of the location and search performer and the five newly created short films. Its premiere took place at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 11, 2003.
The five conditions
The first film must originate at a place where Leth 's never been before (the choice falls on Cuba), with no stage, the questions from the original movie must be answered and no adjustment shall contain more than 12 images, that is, the sections follow in half a second. Von Trier is satisfied with the result.
For the second film is von Trier the terms of a desolate scene that Leth must occur itself, a meal occurs and other people should not be visible. Leth chooses the red light district of Mumbai, where he alone takes up a sumptuous meal on the road, in the midst of the poorest people, a semi-transparent wall.
The fact that people are visible behind the wall in Mumbai partially evaluates a violation of Trier and Leth punished so that he pretends to him for the third film any conditions. Leth rotates in Brussels in advertising aesthetics scenes with an elegant older gentleman and a noble whore.
Since find hideous von Trier and Leth both animated films, is the only condition on the fourth film, that it must be a cartoon.
The fifth film has compiled from Trier snippets of previously wacky documentation material itself. Leth must only agree to be named in the credits as a director, and read a text written by Lars von Trier text for the soundtrack, as it was his opinion.