Idiots, The (1998)

A provocative and confrontational film from Danish auteur Lars von Trier, this Dogme 95 entry explores the limits of conformity, performance, and moral discomfort. In a quiet Copenhagen suburb, a group of adults form a secret collective where they “spass out,” deliberately behaving as if intellectually disabled in public spaces. Their goal is to challenge bourgeois norms and shake the foundations of polite society through radical social disruption.

The experiment begins as a form of liberation but quickly spirals into something darker. As the group pushes further, the line between authenticity and cruelty blurs. When a new member joins and personal boundaries start to erode, the fragile illusion begins to collapse, revealing the emotional costs of their so-called rebellion.

Unflinching in its commitment to realism and raw emotion, this is one of the most controversial and daring works of late 1990s European cinema. Shot entirely with handheld cameras, natural lighting, and stripped of stylistic polish, it stands as a raw and uncompromising artifact of the Dogme 95 movement and a milestone in von Trier’s fearless career.

• 110 minutes
• WIDESCREEN (non-anamorphic)
• Danish audio soundtrack with non-removable English subtitles
• DVD is NTSC format, Region 0 (region free) playable world wide