Based on a true story from the fateful day of August 29, 1943, when the Germans disarmed the Danish army and navy. The minesweeper MS 1 plays the leading role in the film about the ship that refused to surrender. The commander, Captain U.H. Gad, camouflaged the boat as a tugboat under the name 'Sorte Shara'. With Sweden as its destination, the boat set sail and experienced hours of excitement as it approached the German observation posts.
Production
Actual Danish naval vessels used for authenticity.
Direction
Methling wrings genuine tension from slow-burn escape.
Director
Sven Methling
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
The real MS 1 was later returned to Denmark and served until 1962—meaning this film used the actual hero ship before her retirement.
In Denmark, 'Sorte Shara' became shorthand for clever resistance; the name itself was pure invention—Gad chose 'Shara' because it sounded foreign enough to confuse German radio operators.
DK
