You are here:

Flame & Citron

Name: Flame & Citron
Director: Ole Christian Madsen
Released: 2008
Duration: 130 min

Representation Score

3.8/10

Limited

2008

Director

Ole Christian Madsen

Runtime

130 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

New Showbiz Analysis

Flame & Citron deconstructs the traditional war hero mythos by presenting a morally ambiguous and psychologically complex narrative. Its strength lies in its refusal to offer easy resolutions, focusing instead on the pressures of clandestine warfare. However, the film is demographically narrow, adhering strictly to the social realities of its historical setting, resulting in a lack of gender, racial, and LGBTQ+ diversity. The narrative is heavily centered on masculine archetypes and a homogeneous cast. Ultimately, the film prioritizes thematic complexity over demographic breadth, challenging nationalistic heroism through a postmodern view of conflict, even while remaining limited by its specific historical scope.

Watch this, not that →

Category Breakdown

Does Flame & Citron have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film is set in a strictly heterosexual and cisgender historical context, with no depiction of non-binary gender identities or same-sex relationships.

How does Flame & Citron portray gender?

Limited

Male characters dominate the narrative, reflecting the historical context of the Danish resistance. Female characters are mostly peripheral, serving as domestic figures rather than central drivers of the story.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Flame & Citron?

Limited

The cast is primarily made up of actors from similar backgrounds, fitting the localized European setting of Nazi-occupied Denmark. The film does not include diverse ethnic perspectives or actors from different racial backgrounds.

How does Flame & Citron represent religion and culture?

Good

The film stands out by avoiding simplistic good-versus-evil narratives. It portrays resistance fighters as flawed individuals caught in a corrupt and violent system.

Does Flame & Citron include disability representation?

Minimal

The film does not focus on visible or invisible disabilities. Psychological trauma is shown as a universal consequence of war, rather than a specific exploration of neurodivergence.

Present on Screen

Effectively deconstructs traditional, sanitized war heroism.
Provides nuanced portrayal of moral relativism and situational ethics.
Offers deep exploration of the psychological erosion caused by combat.

Limited or Absent

Lack of diverse ethnic perspectives or color-blind casting.
Minimal roles for female characters in the central plot.
Absence of explicit or queer-coded representation.

Official Synopsis

Gunman Flame and his partner Citron assassinate Nazi collaborators for the Danish resistance. Assigned targets by their Allies-connected leader, Aksel Winther, they relish the opportunity to begin targeting the Nazis themselves. When they begin to doubt the validity of their assignments, their morally complicated task becomes even more labyrinthine.

How are these scores produced? →