Editing Lars von Trier (section)

=== 2003–2008: ''Land of Opportunities'' trilogy and other works ===
[[File:Oliver Mark - Lars von Trier, Copenhagen 2003.jpg|thumb|Lars von Trier photographed by [[Oliver Mark]], Copenhagen 2003]]
''[[The Five Obstructions]]'' (2003), made by von{{nbsp}}Trier and [[Jørgen Leth]], is a documentary that incorporates lengthy sections of [[experimental film]]s. The premise is that von{{nbsp}}Trier challenges Leth, his friend and mentor, to remake his 1967 experimental short ''[[The Perfect Human (film)|The Perfect Human]]'' five times, each time with a different obstacle.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9C02E4D6143EF935A15756C0A9629C8B63 |title=The Five Obstructions (2003) &#124; FILM REVIEW; A Cinematic Duel of Wits For Two Danish Directors |work=The New York Times |date=26 May 2004 |access-date=12 October 2010 |first=A. O. |last=Scott |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120920/http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9C02E4D6143EF935A15756C0A9629C8B63 |archive-date=20 September 2012 |url-status=live}}</ref>

His next proposed trilogy, ''Land of Opportunities'', consists of ''[[Dogville]]'' (2003), ''[[Manderlay]]'' (2005), and the unmade ''{{not a typo|Washington}}''.<ref>{{cite web|last=Newman|first=Nick|url=https://thefilmstage.com/im-made-to-tell-stories-anthony-dod-mantle-on-lars-von-trier-danny-boyle-and-a-cinematographers-life/|title=“I’m Made to Tell Stories”: Anthony Dod Mantle on Lars von Trier, Danny Boyle, and a Cinematographer’s Life|date=December 19, 2023|work=The Film Stage}}</ref> The first two installments were shot with the same distinctive, extremely stylized approach, with the actors performing on a bare [[sound stage]] with no decoration, buildings' walls marked by chalk lines on the floor, a style inspired by 1970s televised theatre. ''Dogville'' starred [[Nicole Kidman]] as Grace Margaret Mulligan, a role taken by [[Bryce Dallas Howard]] for ''Manderlay''.{{citation needed|date = March 2023}} Both films feature an ensemble cast including [[Harriet Andersson]], [[Lauren Bacall]], [[James Caan]], [[Danny Glover]], and [[Willem Dafoe]]. The films question various issues relating to American society, such as intolerance and slavery.{{citation needed|date = March 2023}}

In 2006, von Trier released the Danish-language comedy film, ''[[The Boss of It All]]'', which was shot using an experimental process he named [[Automavision]], involving the director choosing the best possible fixed camera position, then allowing a computer to randomly choose when to tilt, pan, or zoom.{{citation needed|date = March 2023}} He followed this with an autobiographical film, ''The Early Years: Erik Nietzsche Part 1'' in 2007, which von Trier wrote and Jacob Thuesen directed, a film that tells the story of von{{nbsp}}Trier's years as a student at the National Film School of Denmark.{{citation needed|date = March 2023}} It stars [[Jonatan Spang]] as von{{nbsp}}Trier's alter ego, called "Erik Nietzsche", and is narrated by von{{nbsp}}Trier himself, with all main characters being based on real people from the Danish film industry.{{Citation needed|date=June 2011}} The thinly veiled portrayals include [[Jens Albinus]] as director [[Nils Malmros]], [[Dejan Čukić]] as screenwriter [[Mogens Rukov]], and [[Søren Pilmark]].{{citation needed|date = March 2023}}