Kumu Documentary: Best in the World
Location: Kumu auditorium
Dir Hans Christian Post
Denmark 2022, 57 min
In Danish and English, with English subtitles
Introduction by Pärtel-Peeter Pere, Senior Advisor, Urban Affairs
The documentary Best in the World offers a revealing look beyond the photogenic image of Copenhagen. The Danish capital is often considered one of the best and most liveable cities in the world. But this was not always the case. Thirty years ago, Copenhagen was an industrial city on the brink of bankruptcy. Through political and architectural engineering, the city has experienced a complete transformation, but at what cost? Once the shining example of a humane and open city that was affordable for everyone, Copenhagen has turned into a bubble only accessible to the rich. The city is an engine of inequality both within its borders and in the surrounding countryside.
Who ultimately gets to benefit from this desirable new city? Is Copenhagen a forerunner of what other cities will turn into or have they already begun that process?
The celebrated writer and film-maker Hans Christian Post takes stock of Copenhagen’s evolution through the eyes of architects, activists and writers to assess what is at stake. He looks at the gains and losses that Copenhagen has experienced over the last 30 years and asks what the city needs to be in the 21st century.
A cautionary tale for cities around the world.
