Shooting has started for Bille August’s The Pact, a psychological drama about the intense friendship between world renowned author Karen Blixen, and he promising young poet Thorkild Bjønvig, starring Birthe Neumann and Simon Bennebjerg in the leading roles. The film also stars Asta Kamma August, Anders Heinrichsen and Nanna Voss.

Based on Bjønvig’s own eponymous biographical novel, published 12 years after Blixen’s death, The Pact focuses on the special bond that developed between the two artists ever since they met in 1948, when she was 63 and he was 30. At the time Bjønvig was a sensitive and easily influenced young poet with a wife and child, while the flamboyant author was well established and deeply fascinating. The Pact is written by Christian Torpe and produced by SF Studios and Motor with producers Jesper Morthorst and Karin Trolle. It is expected to be released in 2021.