On the off chance that you don't already think Lars von Trier is an asshole, you have to watch The Five Obstructions and see what he does to poor Jorgen Leth. In this highly original and very enjoyable film -- which has a limited run this week at Cinematheque Ontario -- the Dogville director poses a curious challenge to his former mentor. Leth must create five new versions of The Perfect Human -- a pseudo-scientific essay film he made in 1967 -- while adhering to an arcane series of restrictions concocted by von Trier. He partly wants to encourage Leth, well known in Denmark as a poet, diplomat and cycling commentator, to return to making films. A less noble motive is the chance to exact Oedipal revenge on a man and a movie that greatly influenced him. As von Trier notes, The Perfect Human is the "little gem that we are now going to ruin."

In the first challenge, Leth must shoot in a place where he has never been (Cuba) and is forbidden from including a shot longer than 12 frames long (about half a second). Though a documentary crew captures Leth's confusion and frustration as he copes with these and other obstructions, The Perfect Human and its creator remain oddly impervious to assault. That the good-humoured Leth succeeds at his tasks with displays of ingenuity annoys the hell out of von Trier. Still searching for a way to foil him, von Trier orders an animated version of The Perfect Human, explaining that "it can only turn out to be crap." "I hate cartoons," says Leth. Von Trier immediately concurs.

As grouchy as either filmmaker may appear, they enjoy playing this game and viewers will, too. Not only does The Five Obstructions illustrate the value of self-imposed restrictions in the creation of art but it highlights the importance of mentor-student relationships. However much von Trier tries to turn the tables on Leth, he still regards him with awe and affection. The pairing of the elder filmmaker's imagination and von Trier's malicious streak yields something marvelous and profound. (Jorgen Leth appears for an onstage interview at Jackman Hall on Oct. 23 at 6:30pm.)

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