Take the Cash and Run

Ole Juncker’s Tribeca-premiering Take the Cash and Run follows Jens Haaning, a Danish conceptual artist to whom the Kunsten Museum of Fashionable Artwork Aalborg loaned $83,000 — cash that was to be tangibly included into a particular fee for his or her 2021 group exhibition centered on the way forward for working life. (Which was not so creatively titled “Work it out.”) Sadly for the museum, Haaning determined to include the {dollars} into his personal private life as a substitute, although he did ship a bit known as Take the Cash and Run — a pair of empty frames — together with an electronic mail explaining the paintings’s intent to highlight the horrible working situations that artists face. For sure, when Haaning subsequently refused to truly return any of that borrowed moola the Kunsten Museum known as it one thing else and promptly sued.

Reduce to the worldwide media circus, which couldn’t get sufficient of the artwork world’s David-versus-Goliath dispute, notably the sordid accusations of con artistry and countercharges of company exploitation. (And extortion as soon as Take the Cash and Run went viral. Sensing a million-dollar alternative, the museum supplied to drop the lawsuit in trade for taking everlasting possession of the work.) Although luckily, behind the scenes was one other Danish artistic, a filmmaker with intimate entry to the impish and erratic Haaning in addition to the unbelievable endurance and wherewithal to tag alongside on the unpredictable artist’s wild (and sometimes self-generated) rollercoaster experience.

Every week earlier than the movie’s June sixth debut within the Highlight Documentary part, Filmmaker caught up with Juncker, a graduate of each the Danish College of Journalism and the College of Missouri, who appears to have a nostril for uncommon tales. (Juncker’s 2023 doc The Most Distant Restaurant within the World centered on the cooks of the Michelin-starred KOKS as they arrange store in Ilimanaq, Greenland: inhabitants 53).

Filmmaker: How did you first meet Jens? Was he at all times onboard with collaborating within the doc?

Juncker: As soon as it was clear that Jens was useless severe about not returning the cash the museum had loaned, I contacted him through Messenger. I assumed I’d by no means hear again, figuring one other filmmaker most likely can be filming him at that time, however he really known as me again that very same day. We met in his studio. He informed me 4 different folks had already contacted him, although I used to be the one who ended up doing the movie.

I really began filming as quickly as we met as a result of journalists and artists had been calling him all through our assembly. When he needed to go away for one thing else I informed him that we wanted to speak about if he was onboard or not, whether or not he wanted time to consider it. He answered that he was onboard straight away.

After filming for a few months he stated he wanted a six-month break from capturing, which I took to imply he needed to cancel the challenge. However he did in actual fact return after six months, and we had been capable of end the movie after two and a half years of capturing.

Filmmaker: The movie is an up shut character examine that in the end paints a sympathetic portrait of Jens, which made me surprise if this was at all times the plan. Did you ever take into account together with people on the opposite aspect of the story (like Kunsten Museum director Lasse Andersson, who solely seems in information footage)?

Juncker: From the beginning, after listening to Jens on a radio present when the story broke, I used to be fascinated by what he did and his uncompromising persona. He’s definitely not the common man. Whereas not understanding precisely how the story would unfold, I assumed there can be numerous drama. However it advanced in so many alternative ways in which I may by no means have imagined.

To start with I used to be very centered on the case and the plot. However because it turned clear that Jens’s bipolar dysfunction drastically impacted his life, it turned extra a narrative about how the paintings, and all of the commotion round it, affected his psychological well being.

I did attain out to the museum however they weren’t interested by collaborating within the movie. Additionally, I needed to make a documentary that felt like a story movie — not one which had consultants and different folks interviewed in between scenes with Jens. I at all times needed Jens to be the protagonist that I used to be following, so I used to be a lot much less interested by other people.

Filmmaker: What had been a few of the challenges of following such an unpredictable and erratic protagonist?

Juncker: One massive problem was that Jens cancelled numerous capturing days the night earlier than or that morning as a result of he didn’t have the vitality to have me round, which was very comprehensible. I revered that. Our unique plan was to have an acclaimed DP filming, however it could be too pricey with all of the cancellations. Because of this, I shot all the movie myself. Although I believe we established a more in-depth relationship as a result of it was typically solely the 2 of us.

Filmmaker: I used to be really stunned to see Jens’s wrestle with psychological sickness so forthrightly addressed. Why was it essential so that you can highlight this side? Has he at all times been so open about his well being? Did his psychological state play any function within the authorized case?

Juncker: To start with I really thought of not making a giant deal out of his psychological well being, however after a while it was clear that it affected his conduct and life a lot that it needed to be included within the movie. Jens was very open about it and didn’t need to cover it away. I believe one takeaway from the movie could possibly be how typically folks we meet are struggling with out us being conscious of it.

His psychological sickness didn’t play any function within the authorized case, although. A few folks round Jens urged he ought to say he was sick when he made the choice and thus not legally accountable for his actions. However he didn’t need to go down that street. He’s very pleased with this work and made it intentionally, not by chance.

Filmmaker: How do Jens and his companion really feel in regards to the last movie? Had they considered tough cuts?

Juncker: Jens ought to actually be the one to reply that. Although I do suppose seeing that first minimize was an amazing expertise for him; to see himself from the surface and in some very excessive emotional states, each manic and later depressed.

As a result of he initially had such a tough time judging the movie, he subsequently attended a pair extra screenings with folks he relied on. I’ll say that it made me blissful that after viewing Take the Cash and Run, his companion stated she positively acknowledged the Jens that’s portrayed within the movie.