In 18th-century Denmark, impoverished war hero Captain Ludvig von Kahlen sets out to tame a vast, uninhabitable land on which seemingly nothing can grow. This beautiful but forbidding area is under the rule of Frederik de Schinkel, a merciless nobleman who realizes the threat Kahlen represents to his power. As a new community starts to settle in, De Schinkel swears vengeance, leading to a violent and intense confrontation between the two men. A film by Nikolaj Arcel, starring Mads Mikkelsen, Amanda Collin, Simon Bennebjerg, Kristine Kujath Thorp, and Gustav Lindh.

In 18th-century Denmark, Danish kings attempt to domesticate and settle the vast moorland of the Jutland peninsula in a bid to boost tax revenues. However, unforgiving nature, poor soil, and a countryside overrun by vagabonds prove formidable challenges. For decades, every effort to cultivate the wasteland ends in failure. The stubborn moorland refuses to be tamed.

Jutland (Jylland), a peninsula in Northern Europe, forms the continental heart of Denmark and spills over into northern Germany. Its landscape is predominantly flat, mirroring the Danish terrain, though the east boasts steeper hills and a subtle central ridge. Moorland is a type of habitat found in upland areas of temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands, as well as montane grasslands and shrublands biomes. Nowadays, moorland generally means uncultivated hill land, but also includes low-lying wetlands.

In 1755, after retiring from 25 years of service in the German Army, Captain Ludvig von Kahlen (Mads Mikkelsen) seeks permission from the Royal Danish Court to build on the Jutland moorland. Chancellor Paulli (Søren Malling) initially dismisses Ludvig’s plan, asserting that it’s a waste of time. Paulli argues that the moorland is unusable, nothing grows there, and better men than Ludvig have already attempted to cultivate it, all in vain. Pauli declares that they will not waste any more state funds on the heath-land.

However, a glimmer of interest sparks when Ludvig reveals his surprising proposition that he doesn’t want state funding. He will finance the project himself, using his military pension. His only demand, should he succeed, is a noble title with its accompanying manor and servants. The Court, intrigued but skeptical, investigates Ludvig’s background. They find a man of humble origins, his father unknown, his mother a maid, and his early life spent tending gardens before military service. Yet, they are impressed by his rise to Captain despite his low birth. The Royal Danish Court, confident in the impossibility of his endeavor, agrees to Ludvig’s terms. After all, they will lose nothing but a few months, while still appearing to work on the King’s beloved moorland project.

Ludvig visits a nearby village to collect his mysterious delivery from Mecklenburg, Germany. He encounters difficulties finding workers to help on his land, as he’s eager to finish his house before autumn. Father Anton Eklund (Gustav Lindh) introduces a couple, Johannes Eriksen (Morten Hee Andersen) and Ann Barbara (Amanda Collin) to Ludvig. Learning that they have both escaped from their master and that hiring them is illegal, Ludvig offers them a bedroom and two meals a day, which they accept.

Eventually, Ludvig clashes with Frederik de Schinkel von Hald (Simon Bennebjerg), a local magistrate who owns a staggering 130 moor properties. The conflict arises when Ludvig rejects Frederik’s offer for help. Frederik proposes providing workers, provisions, and materials, but in exchange, Ludvig must pay him 50% of his future income. Should Ludvig attract any settlers, they too would become Frederik’s tenants. Frederik reveals he knew about Ludvig’s mother, a cook on Count Raben’s estate, and his status as an illegitimate son. He suggests that Count Raben put Ludvig in the army, much like he his own father did with his his bastards when he tired of them.

Frederik’s cousin, Edel Helene Leising (Kristine Kujath Thorp), whose father wants her to marry Frederik, is impressed by Ludvig’s bravery in contradicting Frederik’s demand, a feat very few would dare to attempt. Wishing to see Ludvig again, Edel invites him to Hald Manor’s harvest festival on the first Sunday of September. Before Ludvig leaves, Edel gives him her handkerchief as a memento.

The next day, Ludvig finds his farm deserted. Frederik has sent Preisler to offer his men double the pay to work on one of Frederik’s farms. No one dares defy the ruthless wealth of Frederik de Schinkel. Desperation drives Ludvig to hire Romanisæl Travellers, whose work is forbidden by law. They agree to Ludvig’s offer of 20 riksdalers and his captain’s medal. But Frederik is relentless, doing everything in his power to drive Kahlen off the land.

The Norwegian and Swedish Romanisæl Travellers are a group or branch of the Romani people who have resided in Norway and Sweden for about 500 years. An estimated 65,000 Romanisæl Travellers live in Sweden, while in Norway, the population is likely around 10,000.

Nikolaj Arcel’s BASTARDEN is an epic historical drama that grips the audience’s attention from its opening scene. Adapted from Ida Jessen’s 2020 novel “KAPTAJNEN OG ANN BARBARA,” the film weaves a compelling narrative driven by masterful direction and execution. Arcel’s meticulous script brings every key character to life, their motivations and complexities unfolding with each twist and turn. The audience is drawn into their world, fixated on the events as they unfold and yearning to know what lies ahead.

Mads Mikkelsen delivers a powerful performance as Captain Ludvig von Kahlen, a war hero determined to carve a new life for himself on the unforgiving Danish moors. He faces not only the harsh elements but also the evil schemes of the merciless nobleman Frederik de Schinkel, portrayed with chilling intensity by Simon Bennebjerg.

Throughout the film, BASTARDEN explores themes of resilience, ambition, and the struggle for freedom. Amanda Collin gives a specular performance as Ann Barbara, emerging as a powerful symbol of defiance.

The film’s stunning visuals capture the breathtaking beauty and haunting emptiness of the uninhabitable landscape, drawing parallels to the emotional terrain traversed by the characters. Cinematographer Rasmus Videbæk utilizes light and shadow to create a sense of fear and suspense, culminating in a climax that is both tragic and cathartic.

BASTARDEN premired at Biennale di Venezia on 31 August 2023. It was released in Denmark on 5 October. The film was selected as the Danish entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 96th Academy Awards.

BASTARDEN is scheduled for theatrical release in the United States on 2 February 2024, under its official English title “The PROMISED LAND,” by Magnolia Pictures.