The catastrophe hits Denmark in a new Oscar-winning drama series: 'Empathy Disappears Like the Sun'

Thomas Vinterberg explores the disappearance of empathy and connection during crises in his new series, "Families Like Ours," as rising water levels force Danes to flee.

"Empathy, human kindness, solidarity - it vanishes quickly, like the sun's rays, when people are threatened as the characters are in this series," the director, who won an Oscar for his latest film "Another Round" in 2020, told Deadline.

Beneath the surface lies a moral decay, and Vinterberg has drawn inspiration from the real world.

"I experienced the solidarity in Europe disappearing. Both in the refugee crisis and during the pandemic. It was the worst iceberg we could find in the country that we sent to Italy," Vinterberg said.

Simultaneously, Vinterberg harbors a special hope for the Danish mentality:

"I believe we can claim that we have a special camaraderie in Denmark," Thomas Vinterberg said.

"But if that holds up when a crisis hits, that's the question I'm asking here," he added.

Watch the entire Deadline episode on DRTV. ()

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