The Pact: Bille August’s film looks at the very particular relationship between famous writer Karen Blixen and upcoming poet Thorkild Bjørnvig; not quite a love story, instead it is a push for inspiration coming from her deep appreciation of his art. Birthe Neumann plays the imperious and venerable writer beautifully, creating an interesting, complex character. Simon Bennebjerg is good but not as rich as the young poet who gets under her wings. Nanna Skaarup Voss, who plays his preternaturally insightful wife, gets a more interesting character than one would get in most biopics, and she makes the most out of it. Asta Kamma August is fine as a sweet friend of his. The film is elegant in its presentation, with solid cinematography (by Manuel Alberto Claro) and production design (by Jette Lehmann). The pace loses some steam towards the end, however.