Nymphomaniac Vol. I in Berlin: half an hour longer, still the same film, still just as good

Lars von Trier is present at the Berlinale, wearing a T-shirt with the Cannes logo and the text 'persona non grata'. This refers to the riot at Cannes after his failed joke about Hitler. Since then, he has said nothing to the press. So we see on the monitor in the press room on Sunday afternoon How Lars monitrously participates in the photo shoot after the first screening of the longer version of Nymphomaniac, part I. But he leaves the press conference itself to the actors.

A sheet distributed to the press by the Danish Film Institute mentions Nymphomaniac an erotic epic. The abridged version has already been seen in many countries. The longer director's cut is included in Berlin's main programme out of competition (and therefore not in competition, as I noted in a previous report). It generates excitement that is just a little greater. Loaded press screening. On a run to the press conference. There the actors (Uma Thurman, Stacy Martin, Stellan Skarsgård, Christian Slater) hearing him declare that it was so great to work with Lars. Only Shia LaBeouf hangs a little sullenly behind the table. He expresses his apparent displeasure with the whole circus with the following metaphor: "The seagulls follow the trawler and hope for a few sardines." Only to then walk away.

What is it all about now. This new version of Von Trier's masterful film essay on our handling of sex (Stacy Martin: "Sexuality is what we are.") is longer and personally approved by the director. Now with explicit sex scenes, we had been repeatedly told. Fortunately, that's not too bad. One second of semen, some more erections and a few short blowjob moments, all together at most 20 seconds of extra length. And still not an erotic film. Furthermore, a few extra metaphors and a small handful of short scenes added in a clearly recognisable way. So that you get the curious feeling of watching almost exactly the same film, yet half an hour longer.

Producer Louise Vesth confirms that the editing is a bit calmer and that space has been made for more depth here and there. But indeed, nothing essential has changed. Even that explicit sex fits in so naturally that it hardly gives a different impression from that earlier sanitised version. A lot of excitement for nothing, then? Yes and no. Because apart from all that fuss, this Nymphomaniac still the best I've seen here so far.

Now for the long version of Part II. Will it premiere at Cannes, someone wants to know. Louise Vesth: "I won't say anything about that". The moderator cuts off this turn of phrase decisively. "We are not talking about Cannes here in Berlin. Next question please."