Dancer in the Dark director Lars von Trier diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease

Director Lars von Trier appears at the premiere of the film The House That Jack Built (Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP)

Danish filmmaker Lars von Trier, director of films including Dancer in the Dark and Melancholia, has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.

His production company Zentropa said it released the information in order to avoid speculation about his health leading up to the premiere of his series The Kingdom Exodus at the Venice Film Festival next month.