HBO Documentary Films
Two-part documentary directed by Emmy®-nominated filmmaker Erin Lee Carr
Premieres on HBO on March 8, 2022
Debuts back-to-back episodes TUESDAY, MARCH 8 beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT through 11:00 p.m. ET/PT on HBO and will be available to stream on HBO Max
Synopsis | UNDERCURRENT: THE DISAPPEARANCE OF KIM WALL tells the story of accomplished journalist Kim Wall, who tragically went missing in 2017. She was last seen just prior to interviewing the eccentric entrepreneur Peter Madsen aboard his self-made submarine in Danish waters. Madsen changes his story multiple times during the course of a police investigation that ultimately uncovers the truth: Wall was murdered on the submarine. Madsen is soon put on trial, and a judge is tasked with determining what actually happened on the vessel.
Part One: The Crime: Part One starts at the beginning with tweets from Kim’s friends, colleagues, and members of the public about a young woman who had strangely disappeared. After initially claiming that he had dropped Wall off, Madsen changed his story ten days later and admitted to “burying” her at sea after an accident. When the case turns into a murder investigation, a nation is horrified and transfixed. Part One delves into how a young journalist’s life could be cut short in such a brutal manner.
Part Two: The Punishment: Part Two delves into the judicial process in Denmark, while also painting a portrait of an unrepentant killer. Attempting to probe the mindset of Madsen, Part Two explores the nature of narcissism and psychopathy in the process. Madsen was viewed as a minor celebrity in Denmark, but his brash persona ultimately hid misogynistic and sociopathic tendencies. He was used to orchestrating his own story and public persona, but found that his powers of persuasion and influence had run out when he tried to evade culpability for Wall’s murder. Those who knew him wondered what they had missed and whether Wall was his first victim.
The documentary weaves together trial testimony, expert opinion, never-heard-before audio from Madsen himself, key new interviews with those who knew Wall and Madsen, and includes commentary from: Royal Denmark Navy Lt. Commander Ditte Dyreborg, Royal Denmark Navy Commander Lars Moller Pedersen; Madsen’s biographer Thomas Djursing; Deputy Chief of Police Mattias Sigfridsson; Journalists Trine Maria Ilsoe, Frank Hvilsom, Julie Thomsen; Oceanographer Torben Vang; and others.
Credits:
HBO Documentary Films’ presents UNDERCURRENT: THE DISAPPEARANCE OF KIM WALL, an Anchor Production in association with Anonymous Content and Abstract Productions. Directed by Erin Lee Carr; supervising producer, Dani Sloane; executive producers, Ethan Goldman, Fred Grinstein, Andrew Rossi, Nicole Romano, Corey Rogers. For HBO: senior producer, Sara Rodriguez; executive producers, Nancy Abraham. Lisa Heller.
UNDERCURRENT: THE DISAPPEARANCE OF KIM WALL
Debuts back-to-back episodes TUESDAY, MARCH 8 beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT through 11:00 p.m. ET/PT on HBO and will be available to stream on HBO Max.
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