Natural Disorder

Jacob Nossell (24) is intelligent, but hardly fits the picture of a dream child: he suffers from a paralysis of the brain, a congenital physical handicap. It affects not only his powers of speech, but also causes cramps and stiffness. When he speaks, his words cluster together, and when he walks it is with difficulty. With a normal intelligence in a weakened body Jacob is the embodiment of the problem ‘what is normality’: he is too much of an invalid to be fully accepted by society and too ordinary for him to be able to accept his own fate.

Directed by Christian Sønderby Jepsen, Natural Disorder leans on a strong ensemble — Jacob Nossell, Pilou Asbæk, Simon Bang — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about documentary titles of 2015.