Anders Thomas Jensen
A Danish filmmaker who blends dark, absurdist comedy with profound human questions, winning an Oscar before he was 30.
Born 1972 (age 54)·Danish screenwriter and director·Birthday: April 6·Generation X
Biography
Anders Thomas Jensen emerged from Denmark in the 1990s with a voice that was immediately distinct—a mix of brutal honesty, philosophical wit, and unexpected tenderness. His early Oscar win for the short film 'Election Night' was just a prelude. He became a crucial creative engine for the Danish film industry, not only directing his own singular visions like 'The Green Butchers' and 'Adam’s Apples' but also serving as a sought-after screenwriter for directors like Susanne Bier, contributing to films such as 'After the Wedding' and 'In a Better World.' His work often features isolated, flawed men grappling with faith, morality, and violence, yet he finds a strange, redemptive humor in their struggles. Jensen has built a loyal troupe of actors, most notably Mads Mikkelsen, who repeatedly embodies his complex antiheroes. More than just a filmmaker, he is a foundational storyteller whose scripts probe the darkness with a flicker of hope.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Anders was born in 1972, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Anders Was Born
The biggest hits of 1972
#1 Movie
The Godfather
Best Picture
The Godfather
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Anders's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1972Born
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1977Started school
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1985Became a teenager
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1988Could drive
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1990Could vote
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1993Turned 21
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
2002Turned 30
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2012Turned 40
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2022Turned 50
Russia invades Ukraine; Queen Elizabeth II dies
Gas: $3.97/galHome: $348,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"As It Was" — Harry StylesBest Picture: Everything Everywhere All at Once
2026Age 54 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film in 1999 for 'Election Night'.
- Wrote the screenplay for 'In a Better World,' which won the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film in 2011.
- Created and directed the acclaimed dark comedy film 'Riders of Justice,' starring Mads Mikkelsen.
- Has written screenplays for over 30 feature films, becoming one of Denmark's most prolific contemporary writers.
Did You Know?
He initially studied to be a chef before pursuing filmmaking.
He frequently collaborates with actor Nikolaj Lie Kaas, who has appeared in nearly all of his directed films.
His brother, Mikael Wulff, is a well-known Danish comedian and writer.
The 2005 film 'Adam’s Apples' was selected as the Danish entry for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar.
“I'm interested in the moment when you have to decide: are you a good person or a bad person?”
