Steppeulven

Ole Christian Madsen : 2014
Itsi Bitsi

In the early 1960s, wannabe writer Eik meets fellow free spirit Iben whilst protesting American imperialism. Bonding over their love of literature, the boundary-smashing music of the period, and, not least, the pleasures of consciousness-altering drugs, the couple soon decamps from sleepy, bourgeois Copenhagen for the European continent and, eventually, Marrakesh, Baghdad, Nepal, and the deserts of Afghanistan. Struggling to write his novel, Eik desperately tries to hold on to Iben who refuses to commit herself to anything, let alone one man only. Deciding that the only way to win Iben's love is to start a band, Eik founds Steppeulvene (named after the Hermann Hesse novel, Steppenwolf) and enjoys near-instant success. The group makes Eik a celebrity, and Denmark's official spokesperson for the counter-culture – but it's uncertain whether his success will bring him what he most wants. A story based on true events about the desperate love of two young people who share an all-consuming passion for each other, a passion they attempt to relinquish but which never relinquishes them. An epic, continent-crossing counter-cultural romance based on events that led to the founding of the short-lived but massively influential Danish rock band Steppeulvene. Ole Christian Madsen's feature premiered at Toronto International Film Festival 2014, and screened at İstanbul Film Festival 2015.