This year, fresh off two comedic scripts (one of which he directed), Lars von Trier announced that he was suffering from depression and had lost his urge to make films. The director has always challenged the typical and the 'normal,' so it's a bit fitting that his ailment would come after the comedy, and not after the heavy, dramatic films like Dogville and Manderlay. Perhaps he became troubled when he tapped into his youth; Lars von Trier is also Erik Nietzsche -- the man who wrote Jacob Thuesen's new comedy Erik Nietzsche -- The Early Years.

The comedy focuses on a young man named Erik Nietzsche, and is based on von Trier's memories of film school. As the film starts, Erik is a nice, gentle young man trying to find his path in life. Unfortunately, his efforts aren't leading to success, and he gets rejected from every school he applies to. Then, however, he submits a leaf-loving short film to the Danish National Film School. Before he can get rejected yet again, lascivious chance slips his application into the accepted pile and Erik becomes a film student amongst a motley collection of wannabe filmmakers -- from the feminist to the ego-maniacal control freak. As time passes, Erik barely holds onto his spot as he struggles for his alternative, cinematic eye to be accepted by his stubborn school. He shocks his principal and professors with forays into The Decameron and a daring screenplay adaptation of some Marquis de Sade.

In May, Christopher Campbell posted about Lars von Trier's depression, and how the director fears it will hurt or kill his career. See, the director was hospitalized earlier this year, and while he's now out, he can't focus on movies and the affliction has left him "like a blank sheet of paper." It's a bit ironic that this comes in the midst of von Trier's comedies, and not his emotionally heavy work like Dogville and Manderlay. The Boss of it All was recently released in the states, and Cinematical's Ryan Stewart described it as a "success, a refreshing change from the ponderous 'Grace trilogy,'" and that "Danish subtitles do nothing to slow down the laughs."

And there's even another comedy on the way, which proves that he's still got a sense of humor, even in the throes of depression. Erik Nietzsche, The Early Years is a comedic drama about Erik Nietzsche, "an intelligent, but in many ways inexperienced, shy young man who is convinced he wants to be a film director." He enrolls in the Danish National Film School, entering "a world of angry, unhelpful tutors, weird fellow students and unwritten rules," which make Erik feel "like a foreigner in the film industry." As Twitch recaps -- the director was originally tapped only to write the film, which is based on his own experiences. Now does the premise make sense? The original director, Lone Schefig has since dropped out and new director Jacob Thuesen has taken over the helm, but Lars is no longer credited as screenwriter -- Erik Nietzsche is. Ah, Lars, keep fighting. We need your entertaining, von Trier view of the world.