After the accidental death of a child, a small community grapple with what actually happened, including the principal (Henriette Steenstrup) who has a secret.

Director Dag Johan Haugerud’s international breakthrough examines closely how a group of adults handle a tragedy and the many questions and inconsistencies surrounding the death. There’s a lot of depth in the relationships, where focus lies on the principal and her brother (who’s also a co-worker), and Haugerud needs two and a half hours to immerse us in the drama.

Well acted, realistic and sad, with several interesting perspectives on what role children play in our lives.

2019-Norway-Sweden. 157 min. Color. Written and directed by Dag Johan Haugerud. Cast: Henriette Steenstrup (Liv), Jan Gunnar Røise (Anders), Thorbjørn Harr (Per Erik Lundemo), Brynjar Åbel Bandlien, Andrea Braein Hovig, Hans Olav Brenner, Adam Pålsson. 

Trivia: Original title: Barn.

Last word: “[Elle Øverbye] was very intuitive and very participating, very unafraid as a child actress. She had a lot of suggestions concerning the script, what she was supposed to say. And she was not afraid of me at all. We had a very nice collaboration and we had the same humor, and that helps. Of course, if you meet a child that meets you in humor, that makes it all easier.” (Haugerud, Hammer to Nail)