Incidents of Intimacy is quickly becoming one of the most intriguing new projects in international screen storytelling. With Trine Dyrholm, Christian Slater and Dree Hemingway leading the cast, the upcoming feature also places renewed attention on Dogma25, Zentropa’s bold revival of the legendary Danish filmmaking movement.
The newly announced production sits at the intersection of arthouse cinema, psychological drama and visual experimentation. For audiences following TV and video trends, Incidents of Intimacy matters not only because of its starry cast, but because it signals how prestige European filmmaking continues to influence the wider visual culture of streaming, limited series and boundary-pushing narrative work.
What Is ‘Incidents of Intimacy’?
Incidents of Intimacy is the second production unveiled under Zentropa’s Dogma25 banner, a contemporary reimagining of the original Dogme 95 manifesto. The story centers on a woman who struggles to recognize and access her own emotions. Instead of building closeness through relationships, she steals personal objects from others and uses them as vessels for feeling.
She then catalogs those emotional experiences in what is described as an archive of intimacy stored in her cupboard. That already unusual premise takes a darker turn when a triangular relationship destabilizes her carefully ordered system. As feelings become detached from the people and objects that first contained them, her world shifts into something far more unsettling: a kind of emotional horror shaped by autonomous, uncontrollable sensations.
The premise suggests a film that is deeply psychological yet highly visual, making Incidents of Intimacy a natural fit for the Dogma25 ethos.
Star Cast Brings Serious Prestige to Dogma25
Trine Dyrholm’s return to a Dogma-rooted project
Trine Dyrholm’s involvement gives the project historical resonance. She appeared in The Celebration, the first film made under the original Dogme movement and one of the defining works of modern Danish cinema. Her return in Incidents of Intimacy feels like both a homecoming and a symbolic bridge between the old manifesto and its new incarnation.
Dyrholm remains one of Denmark’s most acclaimed performers, known for work in In A Better World, A Royal Affair, Queen of Hearts, The Girl With the Needle and Beginnings. Her track record suggests she is an ideal lead for a character built on repression, obsession and emotional fracture.
Christian Slater and Dree Hemingway expand the film’s international appeal
Christian Slater adds recognizability for global audiences. The Golden Globe-winning Mr. Robot actor also has prior Zentropa ties through Nymphomaniac, making his casting especially fitting. Dree Hemingway, meanwhile, brings an indie-film credibility that aligns well with the project’s art-forward identity, following notable performances in Starlet and While We’re Young.
Supporting cast members include Johannes Lilleøre, Julie Agnete Vang, Laura Drasbæk and Michael Moritzen, deepening the project’s strong Scandinavian ensemble.
Why Dogma25 Matters in Today’s TV & Video Landscape
While Incidents of Intimacy is a feature film, its significance extends into the broader TV and video conversation. Today’s viewers are increasingly drawn to visually daring, psychologically rich stories that cross over between cinema, prestige television and streaming originals. Dogma25 arrives at exactly that moment.
The initiative was launched by filmmaker May el-Toukhy and brings together five directors: May el-Toukhy, Milad Alami, Annika Berg, Isabella Eklöf and Jesper Just. Their collective goal is to protect artistic integrity while making room for uncompromising storytelling.
The movement’s new “vow of chastity” includes rules designed to reduce artifice and restore creative urgency. Among the most striking principles are:
- Scripts must be original and handwritten by the director
- At least half the film must be without dialogue
- The internet is excluded from the creative process
- Crews are capped at 10 people behind the camera
- Films must be shot where the narrative takes place
- Existing objects must be rented, borrowed, found or reused
- Each film must be completed within one year
These constraints are more than a branding exercise. They reflect a larger industry conversation about authenticity, scale, sustainability and resistance to algorithm-driven sameness. In a streaming era saturated with content, Incidents of Intimacy stands out by embracing limitation as a creative engine.
Jesper Just’s Feature Debut Could Be One to Watch
Another major point of interest is that Incidents of Intimacy marks the first feature from acclaimed artist Jesper Just. Though new to feature filmmaking, Just is already an internationally recognized visual artist whose work has been exhibited by institutions including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Guggenheim and Tate Modern.
That background suggests a film driven as much by image, space and mood as by plot. Given Dogma25’s emphasis on visual storytelling, Just’s transition into narrative cinema could produce something genuinely distinctive. The screenplay was completed in collaboration with Sissel Dalsgaard Thomsen, whose prior credits include Kalak and The Quiet Migration.
Financing for the Dogma25 slate comes through a collaboration involving Zentropa, DR, Nordisk Film Distribution and Netflix in the Nordics, with additional support for Incidents of Intimacy from the Danish Film Institute, The Eastern Denmark Film Fund and Nordisk Film & TV Fond. Distribution will roll through Nordisk Film Distribution, DR and Netflix in the Nordic region, while TrustNordisk handles international sales.
What ‘Incidents of Intimacy’ Could Mean for Viewers
For audiences, Incidents of Intimacy looks poised to offer something rare: a star-led project that still feels artistically risky. It blends emotional unease, conceptual storytelling and a filmmaking philosophy built around discipline rather than excess.
That combination could make it especially appealing to viewers who enjoy:
- psychological dramas with surreal or unsettling elements
- European arthouse cinema
- actor-driven character studies
- visually expressive storytelling with minimal dialogue
- streaming-era projects that challenge conventional formats
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Final takeaway on ‘Incidents of Intimacy’
Incidents of Intimacy is more than a casting announcement. It is a major signal that Dogma25 intends to be a serious creative force, not just a nostalgic reboot of a famous manifesto. With Trine Dyrholm, Christian Slater and Dree Hemingway attached, and with Jesper Just making his feature debut under stringent Dogma25 rules, Incidents of Intimacy already has the ingredients of a breakout title for audiences interested in daring TV and video storytelling.
If Dogma25 delivers on its promise, this film may become one of the clearest examples of how stripped-back filmmaking can still produce bold, contemporary screen art.
