Three of Denmark’s leading documentary filmmakers have joined forces to market their own films on DVD. Phie Ambo, Pernille Rose Gronkjaer and Eva Mulvad are the founders of Danish Documentary. This new online DVD label is currently only selling the three directors’ own films; however, they plan to expand the catalog with other films by other Danish directors that also have international interest and sales potential.

As their web site states, quite simply and directly: “Danish Documentary is a company we formed because we would like you to see our films.” Right now, their online store consists of only six products: Ambo and Sami Saif’s Family; a DVD containing Gronkjaer’s previous work before making her seven-years-in-the-making masterpiece The Monastery, Repeating Grandpa and So Many Joys; Ambo’s Gambler; Ambo’s Mechanical Love, which was a Joris Ivens nominee at this year’s IDFA (which I saw and loved); Mulvad’s award-winning, beautifully-realized Enemies of Happiness (the IDFA Silver Wolf award-winner last year); and, of course, Gronkjaer’s moving portrait of Mr. Vig and Sister Amvrosija, a film that is on every documentary film lover’s top ten list this year, and which won the Joris Ivens prize in 2006.

In an article written by Eva Novrup Redvall in the November issue (#80) of FILM, published by the Danish Film Institute, Gronkjaer is quoted as saying, “We do things in a unique way in Denmark. We know how to tell real-life stories that move an audience. Now, we’re organising our sales and lectures, so anyone who is interested will be able to see our films and learn about our production methods. This won’t make us rich, but it’s gratifying to us that our films are available.”

Frustrated that people they met as they traveled the world couldn’t get copies of their films outside of Denmark, the three filmmakers decided to “take charge,” in Ambo’s words. “We produce the DVDs ourselves with English subtitles and sell them on our website.”

Elementary, dear Watson. The whole point of deliberately making films for an international audience, as these filmmakers have done, and will continue to do, is to get those films seen by an international audience.

All three partners’ calendars are booking up as they travel the world to discuss their films and working methods. This is a new DVD label to watch as their catalog continues to grow.