English summary

At the end of the Second World War the Danish coast was littered with about 1.5 million landmines. The victorious allies wanted the mines to be cleared by German prisoners of war, among whom were many child soldiers. The feature film Land of Mine shows how this took place.

Central to the story is a group of under-aged prisoners of war led by the Danish sergeant Rasmussen. The long days, combined with the tension, turned the work into a war of attrition. Many of the boys are terrified and starving, and only want to go home. At first the sergeant feels little, but as the film moves on and there are more casualties, his compassion is triggered and a bond gradually develops between him and his charges.

Land of Mine is an highly suspenseful post-war thriller and, at the same time, a tale of humanity – when revenge would seem the more logical option. In an especially penetrating, clever fashion the film portrays a part of European history that until recently was scarcely known. This film is the winner of awards including the Audience Award at the 2016 Rotterdam Film Festival.