The Danish Girl

Two years into a marriage that began as a collaboration of art and affection, Gerda Wegener asks her husband Einar to pose in a woman's dress for a painting. When the blond painter discovers that the model stirs a side of himself he had not known, he begins to live as the woman named Lili. Gerda stands by him with practical patience even as the line between husband and wife blurs, and their partnership is tested by secrets and longing. Set in mid century Copenhagen, the story follows a quiet, courageous choice to honor inner truth while balancing social expectations around gender and love.

Directed by Tom Hooper, The Danish Girl adapts David Ebershoff's novel with a screenplay by Lucinda Coxon. Released in 2015, the drama stars Eddie Redmayne as Einar/Lili and Alicia Vikander as Gerda.

Alicia Vikander won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance as Gerda. The Danish Girl earned recognition from several major film awards, underscoring the film's performances and craft.

The film helped spark conversations about transgender representation on screen and the responsibilities of casting in biographical stories. Its glossy production design and intimate performances brought a humanist angle to gender identity, contributing to broader mainstream attention to trans experiences in cinema.

Critics generally praised the performances and its visual elegance, while some questioned the handling of a real life figure and the balance between art and biography. The film foregrounds themes of identity, love, and the costs of staying true to oneself.