The Girl with the Needle

Ugh, that was fun! There were already rumours from Cannes about a rather dark and tormenting film, but I have to say that The Girl with the Needle went even further and in directions I didn't expect. Hats off to the utterly committed performance of Victoria Carmen Sonne, whose bold and thoroughly natural acting is truly immersive for the viewer. Magnus von Horn has a flair for atmosphere and a very believable period setting, at times I really felt completely immersed in this black and white world. A heavy, depressing affair. Not for the faint hearted. [KVIFF 2024] (2024-07-02)

A lot of dark drama inspired by actual events, which you ideally shouldn’t read about beforehand. Because even though the protagonist, Karoline, has it as badly as possible, more unexpected blows will come. The impressive production design gives a sense of the filth and hopelessness of the time. The film also impresses in places with almost expressionistic compositions, whose meaning is symbolically filled out by the appearance of Karoline’s husband, who had been disfigured in the war. There are a lot of details that make us wonder how people lived in such discomfort during that time a century ago. Vic Carmen Sonne in the main role leads the film with her brilliant, quiet performance, which veteran actress Trine Dyrholm later darkens (literally) in a smaller space with equal intensity. Facial expressions are paramount here. Viewers will experience the maternal moments even more powerfully; many gasps were heard in the screening room and people could be seen covering their eyes. [Cannes FF] (2024-05-19)

This story about the progressively escalating hardships of a poor, pregnant European girl shortly after the end of the First World War starts out as a working-class social drama and then gradually shifts into the darker realm of expressionistic horror, which is well suited to the beautiful black-and-white cinematography and work with lighting and contrast. Inspired by an actual event, the plot sometimes borders on exploitation with its naturalism, but the scenes with shocking points are fortunately filmed in a subtle and non-explicit way. The performance of the actress in the lead role is very evocative, the period atmosphere is appropriately bleak and the setting is grimy and fetid. Another major selling point is that it is never clear in advance where the narrative will go next, but it takes a truly remarkable turn on several occasions. (2024-07-01)