The Danish Girl is a biographical romantic drama film directed by Tom Hooper , based on the novel of the same title by David Ebershoff , and loosely inspired by the lives of Danish painters Lili Elbe and Gerda Wegener. The film participated in the main competition of the 72nd Venice International Film Festival , [ 7 ] [ 8 ] and it was shown in the Special Presentations section of the Toronto International Film Festival. In spite of criticism for inaccurate portrayal of historical events, Redmayne and Vikander's performances received widespread acclaim and nominations for multiple acting awards.
In the mids Copenhagen , portrait artist Gerda Wegener asks her spouse, Lili Elbe , a popular landscape artist and closeted trans woman then presenting as male and using her birth name , to stand in for a female model, who is late arriving at their flat to pose for a painting Gerda is working on. The experience of posing for Gerda's painting inspires Lili to come out as transgender and rename herself.
This sets off a progression, first tentative and then irreversible, of leaving behind the masculine gender expression Lili has struggled to maintain all her life. Lili and Gerda relocate to Paris ; Gerda's portraits of Lili in her feminine state attract serious attention from art dealers in a way that Gerda's previous portraits did not.
Gerda tracks down art dealer Hans Axgil, Lili's childhood friend whom Lili had kissed when they were young. Hans and Gerda's mutual attraction is a challenge as Gerda is navigating her changing relationship with Lili.
Hans' long-time friendship with and affection for Lili causes him to support Lili and Gerda. As Lili continues suppressing her transgender identity, she starts to seek help from psychologists.
