

In 1967, experimental filmmaker Jorgen Leth created a striking short film, The Perfect Human, starring a man and women sitting in a box while a narrator poses questions about their relationship and humanity. Years later, Danish director Lars von Trier made a deal with Leth to remake his film five times, each under a different set of circumstances and with von Trier's strictly prescribed rules. As Leth completes each challenge, von Trier creates increasingly further elaborate stipulations.
Direction
Von Trier's gleeful sadism as he watches Leth squirm.
Writing
The obstructions themselves: brilliant, cruel, unexpectedly liberating.

Director
Jørgen Leth
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
This is essentially the Dogme 95 manifesto in personal form—von Trier proving his own theories by weaponizing them against his hero.
Leth genuinely didn't know some obstructions beforehand; his pained reactions are real-time documentary, not performance.