It was not long ago that the world believed Denmark to be the happiest place on earth. How true is this exactly, and does it apply to everyone that lives there? Denmark: Provoking the Limits of Tolerance, is a documentary that seeks to shed light on these assertions. Director Antoine Dufeu takes everyone from the outside on a journey into what is really going on in Denmark and as to whether or not everyone there is getting a fair shake in the Scandinavian society. What he uncovers may come as quite the surprise to those who’ve never been there.
Denmark: Provoking the Limits of Tolerance, is a documentary that seeks to shed light on these assertions.
The bold documentary covers a lot of bases in order to get its core message across. The message being that Denmark is not the utopian society the world perceives it to be. Sure, Denmark is known for its social safety nets, and its efficient welfare system is well documented. The unfortunate reality though, is much of this only applies to people who are from Denmark. Immigrants for example, and specifically those of whom are Muslim, are finding life in the European country to be a bit harder than what it should be. Dufue pulls back the curtain on Denmark, showing viewers the true nature of what life is like within the country’s borders and how each half of society lives in comparison to one another.
It is not the shooting methods or overall production that makes the documentary valuable, but more so the information that is provided. Antoine Dufue was able to access a broad array of interviews, locations, and events that provide first hand insight to the true happenings of Denmark’s inhabitants. Footage consists of local MPs and lawmakers discussing the immigrant crisis, interviews with Islamic immigrants and detainees, Denmark’s local populace, and political candidates who have taken issue with the way the government is handling the influx of Middle Easter migrants. Some of the footage is actually shocking, especially considering that Denmark is supposed to be the model of which all countries should aspire. Dufue does the job of wading into the more uncomfortable waters so as to paint a real picture of Denmark, as opposed to the illusion their government has attempted to place the outside world under. The documentary is informative and at times unsettling, but above all else it is objective. Dufue takes no sides and seeks only to report on the truth, however hard it make be for many to accept.
One thing that Denmark: Provoking the Limits of Tolerance shows more than anything is that Denmark’s reputation as a society is at stake. They have since passed laws that would make it a crime not to “integrate” into their society, even though said laws are often ambiguous. Many will actually agree with this and others will not, but there’s no question something must be done to fix the issues at hand. Antoine Dufue won’t be the one to do that, but his documentary, free on YouTube, is at least addressing that there ARE issues.
