The Cannes incident

There's never been anything like it in the history of the Cannes Film Festival: A director vying for the Palme d'Or is labeled a "persona non grata" and expelled from the festival. And that's no bagatelle, particularly considering the international renown of the expellee.

Since the mid-1990s, Danish director Lars von Trier has been one of the most significant figures in Europe film and was in Cannes promoting his film "Melancholia." With films like "Dancer in the Dark," "Dogville," and, more recently, "Antichrist," he's made a name for himself among both international critics and audiences. His talent as an artist is undisputed - even if not everyone loves his films. The experimental Dane stirs a sensation with every film and every appearance - which has enriched the international film scene often enough.

In 1995, von Trier received a lot of attention for the Dogme 95 movement, largely initiated by him, which propagated in 10 public theses a pared-down, purist style of film. Many other filmmakers - not only in Scandinavia - emulated von Trier's approach in their own works.

That von Trier later deviated from his own guidelines to explore new artistic territory is characteristic of the director - and is one possible explanation for his off-key performance in Cannes on Wednesday.

His defense of National Socialism, his comments about Hitler, Israel and Jews are repulsive and baffling. But they show once again that Lars von Trier has a strong penchant for provocation. He's jarred the public often enough with strange comments. He also often plays with taboos in his films - usually cleverly and subversively but sometimes, as in "Antichrist" from 2009, directly and transparently.

Through his art, von Trier aims to throw off the chains of artistic expectations, create something completely new and disregard the past.

That's enough to cause problems for the director who doesn't shy away from conflict. Unlike previous provocations, the situation in Cannes could be held against him for a long time. Even if those who know him and his films don't really believe that he sympathizes with Nazi ideology, his statements will likely cost him some friends - and investors.

Perhaps it's worth considering what Lars von Trier has said about himself for years, but which has often been glossed over as coquetry: that he has suffered from depression for a long time. Apparently, he doesn't always have his life under control.

A look at his biography could offer more insights into his behavior. Just before his mother died in 1989, he discovered his father had German roots. He had previously thought his father was a Danish Jew. This apparently resulted in an identity crisis and von Trier converted to Catholicism a few years later. Other aspects of his childhood and youth, and some of the themes touched upon in his films, indicate that self-discovery and identity have been problematic for von Trier.

The reaction of the festival directors in Cannes following the director's tirade was correct and necessary. But a bit more leniency is called for. Lars von Trier is neither a politician nor a demagogue. To us, the viewers, he's primarily talking about his art and his masterful films.

In the history of art, literature and film, it's often been the case that artists have multiple, self-contradictory souls. Sometimes that's hard for people to deal with.

Jochen Kürten is Deutsche Welle's film expert. (kjb)

Editor: Sean Sinico