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.
