Switching (film)
First Danish interactive film for DVD video.
Switching, released in 2003, is the first Danish interactive film. Directed by Morten Schjødt and produced by Oncotype, it was designed specifically for DVD video. Funding and support came from the Danish Film Institute, the Ministry of Culture’s Development Fund, the EU’s MEDIA Programme, and the DFI Film Workshop. SF Film A/S handled distribution.
The film breaks from traditional linear storytelling through three key features. First, viewers can change the film at any moment, jumping between different times and locations. Second, the interface is transparent—there are no clickable buttons; the film itself is the clickable object, removing standard linear controls. Third, the narrative is circular: everything repeats, so the story has no ending and continues indefinitely.
The plot centers on Frida and Simon, a couple facing a decision. They want change, but that desire conflicts with their wish to preserve the past. The viewer is caught in this moment, and their choices create a unique, personal film experience.
- Type
- Interactive film
- Director
- Morten Schjødt
- Producer
- Oncotype
- Release year
- 2003
- Country
- Denmark
- Distributor
- SF Film A/S
- Format
- DVD video
Lore & Background
Switching was financed by and produced in cooperation with the Danish Film Institute, with support from the Development Fund of the Ministry of Culture, the MEDIA Programme of the European Union, and the DFI Film Workshop. The film was distributed by SF Film A/S. Its interactive design allows the user to jump back and forth in time and location at any moment, with no buttons on screen—the film itself is the clickable object, making the interface transparent and eliminating linear control.
Reader's Guide
Switching is significant as the first Danish interactive film, pioneering a narrative structure that abandons linear progression. Its circular system, in which everything repeats and the film has no ending, challenges traditional storytelling and anticipates later interactive media. The film's transparent interface—where the content itself is the clickable object—was an innovative approach to user engagement on DVD. By involving major Danish film institutions and European funding programs, Switching demonstrated institutional support for experimental digital narratives. Its legacy lies in its early exploration of fragmented, user-determined storytelling, influencing later interactive films and games.
Did You Know?
- The film has no ending and continues forever in a circular universe.
- The screen has no buttons; the film itself is the clickable object.
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