Short film by Nils Agdler & Timo Menke.
Donations are often regarded as selfless good deeds, and are expected to be voluntary, free and anonymous, though they may raise sensitive ethical questions. Made in Denmark focuses on the commercial distribution of sperm in Denmark, from the perspective of anonymous donors. Danish legislation (unlike that of most European countries) allows for anonymous sperm donations, leading to increasing fertility tourism from other European countries. Sperm banks operate in a complex grey area on several levels, marketing human sperm as a processed product. Special attention has been given to issues relating to masculinity and fatherhood, and how masculinity is manifested at the sperm banks and clinics. The film is based on personal interviews conducted with anonymous sperm donors and clinic managers in Copenhagen, Odense and Aarhus in Denmark.
Some of the questions raised in interviews with anonymous donors are: What motivated you to become a donor? How do you relate to the children you will never meet? How would you react if one of “your” children succeeded in finding out that you are his/her biological father? How do you reflect on a future scenario where more men choose to donate and more women select anonymous fathers for their children?
PRODUCTION
Producer: Nils Agdler & Timo Menke
Writer: Nils Agdler & Timo Menke
Director: Nils Agdler & Timo Menke
Cast: Anonomys donors, Peter Bower, Peter Lundström, Ole Schou, Nils Agdler, Martin Ekman, Mikkel Hansen, Svante Larsson, Timo Menke and Ivar Suneson
Cinematographer: Nils Agdler
Editor: Nils Agdler & Timo Menke
Sound recording: Timo Menke
Sound design: Martin Ekman
Length: 15:11 min
Format: HD 1080p
FESTIVAL SELECTION
2019, Third Space, STOA / Music Hall Helsinki, Finland2020, Third Space, Jyväskylä, Finland2020, Gallery Third Space, Helsinki, Finland
With support of the Swedish Arts Grants Committee, Helge Ax:son Johnsons stiftelse, Konstfack - University of Arts, Crafts and Design and Längmanska kulturfonden.
