Knight of Fortune

Two strangers meet in a morgue, leading to drama and awkward situations.

Karl (Andree), an elderly man, has just lost hi wife and he is now at the morgue, trying to build up the courage to see her in her coffin. After a morgue worker accompanies him to the room she is in, once the worker leaves, Karl finds himself unable to witness her lifeless body and resorts to attempting to fix a malfunctioning light instead. He then goes to the men's room, where he ends up meeting Torben (Spottag), another man his age, who says that he has also lost his wife and asks Karl to go with him to see his wife, for emotional support. Karl agrees and together the two of them will go through some unique and challenging experiences.

The story of this short film from Denmark is a chance encounter that turns into something significant, as Karl and Torben develop a rapport between them and support each other as each attempts to pay their final respects to their spouse. Death is the center of this moving drama and the fact that it is set in a building that deals with the bodies of the deceased certainly creates a grim atmosphere. However, humour is present at times, such as the uncomfortable way that the two protagonists meet for the first time and they even share a laugh in front of a body and There are awkward scenes that involve the loved ones of a deceased woman. Loss and grief are two main themes here, with the two main characters experiencing them and trying to handle them and honesty is another subject too, as the two men keep information from each other. In some rather emotional scenes, the film shows the significance of support, that one requires other people next to them, especially when they have lost someone.

Karl and Torben are two widowers who are grieving and end up creating a strong relationship between them as they need each other in order to have some sort of closure. They are two individuals who are in similar mental situations and both Andree and Spottag deliver superb performances.

Big commendations go to Lasse Ulvedal Tolboll for the beautiful cinematography and also to Mathias Gaarde Mikkelsen for the gentle and sentimental score.

This short explores heavy subjects such as death and grief and it is quite harsh when it comes to investigating the pain of loss. However, it also reveals the power of support, how it gives people strength and self-esteem during hard times. It is a rather emotional viewing experience and one that is likely to stay with the viewer for a long time.