Gabriel Axel

Source: Wikiepida: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gabriel_Axel:

Gabriel Axel (18 April 1918 – 9 February 2014)[1] was a Danish film director, actor, writer and producer, best known for Babette's Feast (1987), which he wrote and directed.

Born in Århus, Denmark, on April 18, 1918, Axel spent most of his childhood in France, and returned to Denmark to train as an actor at the Royal Danish Theatre. After spending some years in Paris, working with the Louis Jouvet theatre ensemble, Axel concentrated his efforts on directing for the theatre, television and cinema in Denmark.

With some 16 feature films to his credits Axel returned to France where he directed several large projects for television, which brought him a number of distinguished honours.

In 1988, Gabriel Axel won an Academy Award for his Danish feature film Babette's Feast, an adaptation of the Isak Dinesen novel. Considered his masterpiece, it took Axel 14 years to complete the project.

His other films include the popular comedy Familien Gyldenkål (1975) and its sequel; a series of sexually oriented features including the campaigning Det kære legetøj (1968) which advocated the legalisation of pornography in Denmark; as well as a series of Shakespearean Viking dramas, including Den røde kappe (1967), which received the Grand Prix de la Technique at the 1967 Cannes Film Festival.

In 2003 Gabriel Axel received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Copenhagen International Film Festival. In 2012 he received the Rungstedlund Award.

Axel died in his sleep on 9 February 2014 at the age of 95.

Kilde: Gyldendals Store Danske Leksikon: Gabriel Axel, 18.4.1918-9.2.2014, dansk skuespiller, film- og tv-instruktør. Gabriel Axel blev født i Frankrig og havde en stor del af sin karriere der. Han var en af de hyppigst anvendte instruktører i det tidlige danske tv-teater. Hans ca. 50 tv-produktioner 1951-70 omfatter både klassisk og moderne dramatik, herunder den første danske tv-føljeton Regnvejr og ingen penge (1965). Men hans kunstnerisk mest betydelige tv-produktion er fransk, fx La Ronde de nuit (1977, Nattevagten).

Gabriel Axels indsats som filminstruktør er mangfoldig og af vekslende kvalitet.

Han modtog som den første danske instruktør en Oscar for filmatiseringen af Karen Blixens Babettes gæstebud (1987), hvor Stéphane Audran spiller hovedrollen som den store franske madkunstner. Filmen er optaget i Kulturkanon.

Gabriel Axels øvrige danske filmproduktion omfatter så forskellige genrer som folkekomedien Altid ballade (1955), realismen med En kvinde er overflødig (1957) efter Knud Sønderbys roman, det erotiske lystspil Det tossede paradis (1962) samt de historiske dramaer Den røde kappe (1967) og Prince of Jutland (1994, Prinsen af Jylland), begge efter Saxo.

I filmen Leïla (2001), som blev optaget i Marokko, fortæller Axel uden brug af dialog en tragisk kærlighedshistorie om kultursammenstød.

Source: Wikipeida: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gabriel_Axel: In English: Gabriel Axel: Born: 18 April 1918 in Aarhus, Denmark

Died: 9 February 2014 (aged 95)

Occupation: Film director

Years active: 1951 - 2001

Gabriel Axel (18 April 1918 – 9 February 2014) was a Danish film director, actor, writer and producer, best known for Babette's Feast (1987), which he wrote and directed.[1]

Born in Århus, Denmark, on April 18, 1918, Axel spent most of his childhood in France, and returned to Denmark to train as an actor at the Royal Danish Theatre. After spending some years in Paris, working with the Louis Jouvet theatre ensemble, Axel concentrated his efforts on directing for the theatre, television and cinema in Denmark.

With some 16 feature films to his credits Axel returned to France where he directed several large projects for television, which brought him a number of distinguished honours.

In 1988, Gabriel Axel won an Academy Award for his Danish feature film Babette's Feast, an adaptation of the Isak Dinesen novel.

His other films include the popular comedy Familien Gyldenkål (1975) and its sequel; a series of sexually oriented features including the campaigning Det kære legetøj (1968) which advocated the legalisation of pornography in Denmark; as well as a series of Shakespearean Viking dramas, including Den røde kappe (1967), which received the Grand Prix de la Technique at the 1967 Cannes Film Festival.[2]

In 2003, Gabriel Axel received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Copenhagen International Film Festival.

In 2012 he received the Rungstedlund Award.

He died in his sleep on 9 February 2014.[3].