Teddy Bear

Director: Mads Matthiesen
Writer: Mads Matthiesen
Cast: Kim Kold, Elsebeth Steentoft, Lamaiporn Sangmanee Hougaard
Language: Danish
Theatrical Release Date: Sun Jan 22 00:00:00 EST 2012
Festivals: Sundance Film Festival

Synopsis: In the opening moments of Teddy Bear, a colossal, laconic man tries and fails, over shrimp cocktail, to make small talk with his date. Such is the fascinating paradox of Dennis, a champion bodybuilder whose impressive physical prowess does not defeat his social discomfort or solitude. At home after the date, something is awry when Dennis reflexively lies when a voice behind a door questions his whereabouts. That voice, we soon learn, belongs to Dennis’s fragile, birdlike mother, who wields a powerful hold on his heart. This maternal anchor by no means allays his chronic longing for love, so he musters the courage to embark on a quest. In Thailand, amid sex tourists, monolithic hotels, and local gym rats, Dennis begins to overcome his fears and personal limitations. (Sundance Film Festival)

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