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Susanne Bier

Susanne Bier

Director, producer and writer · Born April 15, 1960 (66) · Copenhagen, Denmark

Primetime Emmy winner · BAFTA Award nominee · 4 other major award bodies

Susanne Bier (Danish: [suˈsænə ˈpiɐ̯ˀ]; born 15 April 1960) is a Danish filmmaker. Bier is the first female director to collectively receive an Academy Award (Foreign Film), a Golden Globe Award, a European Film Award (for In a Better World) and a Primetime Emmy Award (for directing The Night Manager). Bier debuted her feature film with Freud's Leaving Home (1991). She directed a string of films, including Open Hearts (2002), Brothers (2004), After the Wedding(2006), and In a Better World (2010), the later of which earned the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film. She directed the English-language films Things We Lost in the Fire (2007), Love Is All You Need (2012), Serena (2014), and Bird Box(2018). She directed the BBC One / AMC miniseries The Night Manager (2016) on television, earning the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie. She also directed the HBO psychological miniseries The Undoing (2020), the Showtime historical anthology series The First Lady (2022), and the Netflix mystery series, The Perfect Couple (2024). Description above from the Wikipedia article Susanne Bier, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
April 15, 1960 (66)
From
Copenhagen, Denmark
Works as
Director, producer and writer
Titles
21 on MovieCove · 33 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 155 days to Oct 26Down 28% in 30 days

What are Susanne Bier's films like?

Across their 19 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Survival.

Genres

Drama9 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 85th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Comedy6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 49th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Horror2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 39th percentile
: browse their Horror 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
Bonds
36%
Survival
25%
Morality
20%
Self
13%
Power
4%
Ideas
1%
Family bonds11 titles, browse their movies with this themeGrief5 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose4 titles, browse their movies with this themeTrauma4 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love3 titles, browse their movies with this themeGuilt4 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice2 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 17 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 4 · Serious 3 · Dark 10

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

Grounded 15 · Stylized 1 · Heightened 1

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

A split, not a type: Gentle 4 · Charged 5 · Intense 8

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

Steady 7 · Shifting 10 · Whiplash 0

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

Straight-faced 12 · Some laughs 2 · Funny 3

Slow burn: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their slow burn movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 9 · Even-paced 8 · 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 6 · Engaged 9 · Full focus 2

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

Easy watch 2 · Affecting 5 · Heavy 10

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 10 · Open-ended 6 · Ambiguous 1

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
13
Melancholic
12
Warm
5
Hopeful
5
Dread
3
Other
13

How their films linger

Hopeful9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 1 with a twist

  • Happy4
  • Bittersweet11
  • Tragic1
  • Ambiguous3

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 Susanne Bier's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 12 of their 21 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Netflix (4).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Susanne Bier'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

33 credits, 21 with a MovieCove page; 2 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Practical Magic 2(2026)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Bukserne de Flyver (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2026)

    Show 1 episode · as Sig selv

  • The Perfect Couple(2024)

    Show 6 episodes · Director · Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all shows

  • Bird Box: Barcelona(2023)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films

  • The First Lady (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    Show 10 episodes · Director · Executive Producer

  • Dansk films bedste (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    Show 6 episodes · as Sig selv

  • The Undoing(2020)

    Show 6 episodes · Director · Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all shows

  • Idioterne der startede Festen(2020)

    as Sig selv

  • After the Wedding(2019)

    Original Film Writer

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Bird Box(2018)

    Director · Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • The Night Manager(2016)

    Show 12 episodes · Director · Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all shows

  • A Second Chance(2014)

    Director · Story

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Serena(2014)

    Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • Jarl samler op (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    Show 1 episode · as Sig selv

  • Love Is All You Need(2012)

    Director · Story

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • In a Better World(2010)

    Director · Story

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Brothers(2009)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • Things We Lost in the Fire(2007)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • After the Wedding(2006)

    Director · Story

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • Brothers(2004)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • The One and Only(2002)

    Executive Producer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • Open Hearts(2002)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Once in a Lifetime(2000)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • Hvem vil være millionær? Classic (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    Show as Susanne Bier

  • The One and Only(1999)

    Director · Idea

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Credo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    Director · Screenplay

  • Like It Never Was Before (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    Director

  • Family Matters (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Director

  • Letter to Jonas (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Director · Actor

  • Freud Leaving Home(1991)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films

  • Notes on Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Additional Writing

  • Legacy of Spies (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Show 1 episode · Executive Producer

  • The Trial of Louise Woodward (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Show 5 episodes · Director · Executive Producer

Career shape

A full career of 33 titles, 31 of them dated from 1989 to 2026.

Biggest box office

Practical Magic 2 (2026)

$97M worldwide

Highest rated

After the Wedding (2006)

Midcredits 95th

Most popular right now

Practical Magic 2 (2026)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting6 of 33: 5 only acting, 1 with another roleDirecting22 of 33: 7 only directing, 15 with another role · typical Midcredits score70thWriting9 of 33: 2 only writing, 7 with another role · typical Midcredits score81stProducing10 of 33: 3 only producing, 7 with another role · typical Midcredits score48thOther crew1 of 33: 1 only other crew, 0 with another role

33 titles, 15 with more than one role — directing and producing overlap on 7 of them.

By decade

1980s1 · crew1990s7 · 2 acting · 6 crew2000s7 · crew2010s8 · 1 acting · 7 crew2020s8 · 3 acting · 5 crew

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.

Awards

a Primetime Emmy and 1 other major award from 9 major nominations, 2005–2021.

WinNomination
  1. 2021
    • Directors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Movies for Television and Limited Series
    • Producers Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Producer of Limited Series Television
  2. 2017
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Director: Fiction
    • +1 other major body · 1 nomination
      • Producers Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Producer of Long-Form Television
  3. 2016
    • Primetime Emmy, won · Outstanding Directing for a Limited Series, Movie or a Dramatic Special
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Limited Series
  4. 2012
    • Venice award, nominated
  5. 2005
    • Sundance award, won · World Cinema - Dramatic
    • Sundance award, nominated · World Cinema - Dramatic

Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.

How do Susanne Bier's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 62nd percentile, the median of the 17 of 18 with a score; across their 17 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 59th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

59thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 17

Approval · how many liked their films

63rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 17

Reach · how many have seen their films

88thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 17

Midcredits score across 20 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up8
  • 50th to 74th5
  • 25th to 49th4
  • Below 25th3

Shape of the crowd

9 of their 20 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved4
  • Crowd Pleaser9
  • Broadly Agreed3
  • Mixed4

Most divisive · writer, producer

The One and Only (2002)

67th percentile spread · 18% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · director, writer

After the Wedding (2006)

Midcredits 95th · 86% liked

Reviewers score the atmosphere 67/100 and the pacing 46/100 in their films, across 17 reviewed titles. The element that speaks to their work as a director.

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 Susanne Bier's work okay for kids?

Across up to 14 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore, sex & nudity, profanity, alcohol & drugs and frightening / intense run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore8 titles48–81 · median 66 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity14 titles20–57 · median 47 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity9 titles33–75 · median 51 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs7 titles26–61 · median 46 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense8 titles44–79 · median 62 · intenseheavier 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 Susanne Bier work with?

People who share at least 2 of Susanne Bier's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Pernille Bech Christensen shares the most, 11.

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles