Peter Garde Dies: Frequent Lars Von Trier & Thomas Vinterberg Collaborator And Zentropa Studios’ First Chief Financial Officer Was 67

Peter Garde, European film financing vet and frequent collaborator of filmmakers like Lars Von Trier and Thomas Vinterberg, has died aged 67 in Fakse, Denmark, after a long battle with cancer. Garde’s wife, Nanna, confirmed the news to Deadline alongside his close associates, Peter Aalbæk Jensen and Anders Kjærhauge.

Garde began his education in finance in the small town of Store Heddinge in Denmark, where he was a student set to become a banker. He ultimately went on to start his own financial exchange company.

After the success of Lars Von Trier’s Breaking The Waves, Garde was convinced by his close friend producer Peter Aalbæk Jensen to join Zentropa and help manage all the money that was pouring into the studio, which ultimately became the beginning of Garde’s long career with Lars Von Trier and Zentropa Studios’ films. He joined the company in 1997. 

Garde was responsible for piecing together some of the most complicated financing agreements for challenging, author-led films, helping Zentropa expand and become the home of daring European films such as Dancer In The Dark, Dogville, Melancholia, Brothers, After The Wedding, A Royal Affair, The Hunt, The Salvation, and Elles. Across his career, Garde worked on over 70 films, which he helped get packaged and financed.

He was also a prominent and frequent figure at the major markets, including the European and American Film Markets and the Marche Du Film in Cannes.

He is survived by his wife Nanna and children Trine and Thue.