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Niels Arestrup

Niels Arestrup

Actor · Died December 1, 2024, aged 75 · Montreuil, Seine [now Seine-Saint-Denis], France

Niels Arestrup was a French actor, film director and screenwriter. His father was Danish and his mother was French. He has won two César Awards for Best Supporting Actor for De battre mon cœur s'est arrêté and Un prophète, both films where he was directed by Jacques Audiard.

Biography from TMDB.

Born
February 8, 1949
Died
December 1, 2024 (aged 75)
From
Montreuil, Seine [now Seine-Saint-Denis], France
Works as
Actor
Titles
25 on MovieCove · 73 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 38 days to Oct 27Up 24% in 30 days

What are Niels Arestrup's films like?

Across their 22 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Bonds.

Genres

Drama12 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 66th percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Comedy3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 60th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Crime3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 89th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime movies
Biography2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 91st percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Self
26%
Bonds
23%
Morality
21%
Survival
12%
Power
10%
Society
5%
Ideas
4%
Family bonds4 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love4 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception5 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose4 titles, browse their movies with this themeMemory5 titles, browse their movies with this themeFreedom4 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity3 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 21 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Dark: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their dark movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 4 · Serious 4 · Dark 13

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 11 · Stylized 6 · Heightened 4

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 3 · Charged 10 · Intense 8

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 8 · Shifting 13 · Whiplash 0

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 15 · Some laughs 5 · Funny 1

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 10 · Even-paced 11 · Relentless 0

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 4 · Engaged 12 · Full focus 5

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 3 · Affecting 6 · Heavy 12

Open-ended: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their open-ended movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

A split, not a type: Resolved 10 · Open-ended 7 · Ambiguous 4

Roles they play

14 analyzed roles

Usually the Shadow: 7 of 14 analyzed roles.

Shadow
7 of 14
Shapeshifter
2 of 14
Mentor
2 of 14
Ally
1 of 14
Hero
1 of 14
Herald
1 of 14
Show the 14 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
16
Melancholic
14
Contemplative
7
Dread
5
Hopeful
6
Other
14

How their films linger

Thought-provoking11 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteDevastating3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 2 with a twist

  • Happy2
  • Bittersweet13
  • Tragic3
  • Ambiguous4

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Niels Arestrup's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 10 of their 25 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (4).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Niels Arestrup's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

73 credits, 25 with a MovieCove page; 5 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Le soir où j'ai reçu le César 2024 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)

    as Niels Arestrup

  • Divertimento (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    as Sergiu Celibidache

  • Black Butterflies(2022)

    Show 6 episodes · as Albert Desiderio

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all shows

  • Villa Caprice (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    as Luc Germon

  • At Eternity's Gate(2018)

    as Madman

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • See You Up There(2017)

    as Marcel Péricourt

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • Return to Montauk(2017)

    as Walter

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • Baron Noir (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    Show 8 episodes · as Francis Laugier

  • By the Sea(2015)

    as Michel

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • Captain Marleau(2014)

    Show 1 episode · as Hervé Gerfaut

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all shows

  • So Long Africa (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    as Jacques

  • The Dune (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    as Ruben

  • 96 heures (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    as Victor Kancel

  • Diplomacy(2014)

    as General Dietrich von Choltitz

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films

  • The French Minister(2013)

    as Claude Maupas

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • Our Children(2012)

    as André Pinget

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • War Horse(2011)

    as Grandfather

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • You Will Be My Son(2011)

    as Paul de Marseul

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • Small World(2010)

    as Thomas Senn

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • The Big Picture(2010)

    as Bartholomé

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Sarah's Key(2010)

    as Jules Dufaure

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • Farewell(2009)

    as Vallier

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • A Prophet(2009)

    as César Luciani

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • Le Temps des cerises (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    Theatre Play

  • The Diving Bell and the Butterfly(2007)

    as Roussin

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • The Candidate (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    Director · Writer · as Georges

  • Fragments of Antonin (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    as le professeur Lantier

  • The Beat That My Heart Skipped(2005)

    as Robert Seyr

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • Speak to Me of Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    as Richard

  • A Private Affair(2002)

    as Le père de Rachel

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Lulu Kreutz's Picnic (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    as Jascha Steg

  • Fernando Krapp m'a écrit cette lettre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    as Fernando Krapp

  • Rewind (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    as Fabrice Rivail

  • Les Derniers Jours de la victime (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    as Mendizábal

  • Délit mineur (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    as Claude

  • Albert Savarus (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    as Albert Savarus

  • La Femme abandonnée (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    as Oskar de Wilno

  • Meeting Venus(1991)

    as Zoltan Szanto

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Manon Roland (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    as Danton

  • Barbablù, Barbablù (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    as Gastone

  • La Ruelle au clair de lune (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    as Professeur Hans Klemm

  • Ville étrangère (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    as Gregor Keuschnig

  • Doux amer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    as Jean

  • Charlie Dingo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    as William

  • Lorfou (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    as Angelo

  • La Rumba (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    as Detaix

  • Among Wolves (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    as Mike

  • Diesel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    as Nelson

  • Sincerely Charlotte(1985)

    as Mathieu

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • The Future Is Woman(1984)

    as Gordon

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • One Man's War (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    as Narrator

  • The Secrets of the Princesse de Cadignan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    as Rastignac

  • La Cerisaie (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    as Lopakhine

  • La danse de mort (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    as Kurt

  • Le Retour d'Elisabeth Wolff (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    as Stan Pilgrim

  • Alone (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    as Jean

  • Bruges la Morte (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    as Hugues Viane

  • La Femme flic (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    as Dominique Allier, le photographe de la MJC

  • Memoirs of a French Whore (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    as André

  • Le Tourbillon des jours (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Show 6 episodes · as Germain

  • The Song of Roland (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    as Le commerçant / Oton

  • Tauwetter (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    as Jean-Luc

  • The Sorceror's Apprentice (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    as Danton

  • Plus ça va, moins ça va (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    as Vincent

  • The Big Night (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    as Léon

  • Second Chance(1976)

    as Henri Lanot

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • Tomorrow's Children (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    as Philippe

  • Lumière (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    as Nano

  • I, You, He, She(1974)

    as Truck Driver

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • Stavisky(1974)

    as Rudolph, le secrétaire de Trotski

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • Miss O'Gynie and the Flower Men (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    as Yves

  • La dernière carte (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    as Wilhelm Kasda

  • Tiens ferme ta couronne (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Actor

Career shape

Star power in the 99th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 73 titles, 72 of them dated from 1974 to 2024; peak year 2010.

Biggest box office

War Horse (2011)

$178M worldwide

Highest rated

A Prophet (2009)

Midcredits 98th

Most popular right now

War Horse (2011)

Film career

MilestoneBreakout
19742024

Peak 2010 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Top draw in 8 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting72 of 73: 71 only acting, 1 with another role · typical Midcredits score73rdDirecting1 of 73: 0 only directing, 1 with another roleWriting2 of 73: 1 only writing, 1 with another role

By decade

1970s14 · acting1980s20 · acting1990s6 · acting2000s11 · 10 acting · 2 crew2010s17 · acting2020s4 · acting

Billing

usually 3rd · top billed in 4% of 26 roles
749914

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

How do Niels Arestrup's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 73rd percentile, the median of all 23; across their 21 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 77th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

77thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 21

Approval · how many liked their films

71stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 21

Reach · how many have seen their films

78thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 21

Midcredits score across 25 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up10
  • 50th to 74th8
  • 25th to 49th6
  • Below 25th1

Shape of the crowd

13 of their 25 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved4
  • Crowd Pleaser13
  • Broadly Agreed2
  • Mixed6

Most divisive · actor

The Future Is Woman (1984)

61st percentile spread · 28% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

A Prophet (2009)

Midcredits 98th · 88% liked

Reviewers score the acting 80/100 in their films, across 18 reviewed titles; fans 86, detractors 54. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Niels Arestrup's work okay for kids?

Across up to 8 MovieCove titles with content scores, sex & nudity and frightening / intense run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore6 titles17–97 · median 43 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity8 titles4–82 · median 62 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity5 titles24–63 · median 28 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs5 titles28–73 · median 34 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense5 titles33–70 · median 60 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Niels Arestrup work with?

People who share at least 2 of Niels Arestrup's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Juliette Welfling shares the most, 4.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles