Danish filmmaker Per Holst, who produced films by the likes of Lars von Trier and directed one of the most successful Danish films of all time, has died. He was 86.
The director-producer died Saturday, according to his son, actor Morten Holst. The cause of death was not immediately available.
As a producer, Holst’s credits include films by von Trier (The Element of Crime), Nils Malmros (Tree of Knowledge, Beauty and the Beast, Arhus by Night, Barbara and Paion of Love) and Bille August (Zappa, Twist & Shout and Pelle the Conqueror, which won the 1989 Oscar for best foreign-language film).
He also directed the 1985 film Walter and Carlo — Up on Daddy’s Hat, which is one of the highest-grossing Danish movies of all time.
Holst also served as chairman of the board of the European Film College from 2000-05 and served on the Danish Film Institute’s Feature Film Committee for several years.
Throughout his career, he received several awards, including the Honorary Bodil in 1985, the Honorary Robert in 1995, LO’s Culture Prize in 1998 and the Ib Prize in 2019.
Holst is survived by his wife and four sons.
