Alice E. Bier Zandén
Ehrengard
Overview
When a self-appointed expert on love tries to teach a timid prince the art of seduction, the plan backfires, leading to scandal — and unexpected romance.
Cast
12 people
Reviews
6 min readA Fairy Tale That Forgets Its Own Magic
I’ll admit it: I went into Ehrengard: The Art of Seduction expecting a lark. A Danish period comedy from Bille August, the man who gave us Pelle the Conqueror? With costumes and sets designed by Queen Margrethe II herself?
That’s the kind of premise that makes you lean forward in your seat, curious if the film will be a charming anachronism or a royal misfire. What I didn’t expect was to spend most of its 94 minutes wondering who, exactly, this story was for—and why it seemed so determined to undermine its own pleasures.
The film is an adaptation of Karen Blixen’s 1963 novella Ehrengard, though "adaptation" might be too generous a word. It’s more like a game of telephone where the original message—a wry, ironic tale about love, artifice, and the absurdity of courtly romance—gets muddled into something far less interesting. The premise is simple enough: Cazotte (Mikkel Boe Følsgaard), a self-proclaimed expert in the "art of seduction," is hired to teach the painfully shy Prince Lothar (Emil Aron Dorph) how to woo a princess.
What follows is a series of increasingly convoluted schemes, misunderstandings, and scandals, all leading to—well, that’s where things get messy. The film wants to be a farce, a romance, and a satire of aristocratic pretensions all at once, but it never quite commits to any of them. Instead, it meanders, its tone lurching between gentle whimsy and something more unsettling.
Take the central dynamic between Cazotte and Ehrengard (Alice E. Bier Zandén), the titular character who barely appears until the final act. Cazotte is a man who fancies himself a puppeteer of desire, pulling strings to orchestrate love like a composer writing a symphony.
But his methods are, at best, questionable. He manipulates, lies, and schemes, all in the name of "teaching" others how to love. The film treats this as comedy, but it’s hard not to squirm when his actions veer into territory that feels less like farce and more like emotional exploitation.
As Common Sense Media’s JK Sooja put it, the film is "problematic and annoying," a verdict that stings because it’s not entirely wrong. There’s a moment where Cazotte’s machinations spiral so far out of control that the film seems to realize, too late, that it might have a villain on its hands. But by then, the damage is done.
Full Plot (Spoilers)
Spoiler warning
This section contains the full plot, including major story reveals. Overview above stays spoiler-free.
Buzz & Rumors
Public reportsBille August’s Romantic Comedy Returns to Karen Blixen’s World in Ehrengard: The Art of Seduction
Danish cinema legend Bille August brings a playful twist to Nobel Prize-nominated author Karen Blixen’s final novella with Ehrengard: The Art of Seduction (2023), a period romantic comedy that blends scandal, seduction, and unexpected romance. latestnetflix.com's view is that the film marks August’s return to Blixen’s literary universe—nearly three decades after his Oscar-winning adaptation of The Best Intentions—and reunites him with a cast of Denmark’s most celebrated actors.
A Family Affair: August and August Adapt Blixen
The project is a family collaboration in more ways than one. Bille August, a two-time Palme d’Or winner (Pelle the Conqueror, The Best Intentions), directed the film, while his son, Anders August, penned the screenplay 
. The adaptation draws from Blixen’s posthumously published novella Ehrengard (1963), though sources describe it as a "loose" interpretation, suggesting creative liberties were taken with the source material .
Blixen’s original story, set in a fictional European principality, follows a court painter tasked with teaching a shy prince the art of seduction—a premise that lends itself naturally to comedy. The film’s tone appears to lean into the humor and wit of Blixen’s writing, a departure from the darker, more gothic themes of her better-known works like Out of Africa .
The Cast: A Mix of Veteran Talent and Rising Stars
The ensemble cast features a blend of established Danish actors and fresh faces. Sidse Babett Knudsen (Borgen, Westworld) and Mikkel Boe Følsgaard (A Royal Affair) lead the film, with Knudsen likely playing a key role in the courtly intrigue. Alice E. Bier Zandén, Emilie Kroyer Koppel, and Emil Aron Dorph round out the younger contingent, while Jacob Lohmann (The Kingdom Exodus) and Sara-Marie Maltha add gravitas 
.
The film’s premise—centered on a self-proclaimed "expert on love" attempting to coach a timid prince in seduction, only for the plan to spiral into scandal—suggests a dynamic ripe for comedic and romantic sparks. IMDb’s brief plot summary hints at an unexpected romance emerging from the chaos, though specifics remain scarce .
Behind the Scenes: A Return to Period Drama for August
Bille August’s filmography spans decades, from the gritty realism of Pelle the Conqueror (1987) to the sweeping historical drama The Best Intentions (1992). Ehrengard represents a lighter, more comedic entry in his filmography, though it retains the period setting and lush visuals August is known for .
The film’s production details are thin, but its release on Netflix suggests a streamlined post-production process, typical of the platform’s global distribution model. August’s involvement alone guarantees a polished final product, though whether Ehrengard will match the acclaim of his earlier works remains to be seen.
What’s Missing? The Gaps in the Story
For all its promise, Ehrengard: The Art of Seduction has flown somewhat under the radar. There’s little buzz about on-set drama, casting controversies, or behind-the-scenes anecdotes—unusual for a project helmed by a director of August’s stature. The film’s reception, too, is difficult to gauge; while it’s based on a respected literary work, Blixen’s Ehrengard is far less famous than Out of Africa or Babette’s Feast, leaving its adaptation in uncharted territory.
One unanswered question is how closely the film adheres to Blixen’s novella. Descriptions of the adaptation as "loose" suggest significant deviations, but without a deeper dive into the source material, it’s hard to say how much of the original’s charm—or its potential pitfalls—made it to the screen .
The Bottom Line
Ehrengard: The Art of Seduction is a curious blend of pedigree and playfulness: a Bille August-directed, Karen Blixen-inspired romantic comedy with a stellar Danish cast. Whether it lands as a witty romp or a missed opportunity may depend on how well it balances the source material’s sophistication with the demands of modern audiences. For now, it remains a sleeper pick—one worth watching for fans of August’s work or Blixen’s literary legacy.
Entertainment rumors and trivia aggregated from public reporting. Treat speculation as unverified unless a cited source confirms it.