Presented in Official Competition at the Cannes Film Festival 2024, The Young Woman with the Needle(Pigen med nålen), directed by Magnus von Horn, transports us to a dark and oppressive Copenhagen in the aftermath of the First World War. Through the story of Karoline, a young pregnant worker faced with poverty, this historical drama explores the themes of survival, female solidarity and heartbreaking choices in an era marked by uncertainty.
Alongside Victoria Carmen Sonne, noted for her intense, nuanced roles, and Trine Dyrholm, a key figure in Danish cinema, Magnus von Horn delivers a powerful tale where realism blends with meticulous aesthetics. A film that promises to combine raw emotion with a singular visual atmosphere.
La Jeune femme à l'aiguille will be released in cinemas from April 9, 2025.
Synopsis: Copenhagen, 1918. Karoline, a young working-class woman, struggles to survive. When she becomes pregnant, she meets Dagmar, a charismatic woman who runs an underground adoption agency. A strong bond develops between the two women, and Karoline accepts a role as her nanny.
The Young Woman with the Needle will appeal to fans of intense historical dramas, and to viewers sensitive to tales exploring human complexities. The film should particularly appeal to those who have enjoyed works such as Anne Fontaine's Les Innocentes or The Danish Girl, thanks to its focus on intimate narratives in a historical context marked by precariousness.
The film's originality lies in its visual and narrative tone. Magnus von Horn explains that he wanted to move away from realism to build an aesthetically unique world, where drama blends with genre codes. This approach lends the film an almost dreamlike atmosphere, despite its dark, anguished themes of motherhood, survival and the exploitation of women in times of crisis.
With performances by Victoria Carmen Sonne and Trine Dyrholm, renowned for their ability to embody complex characters, the film promises to be a powerful emotional experience.
A graduate of the Łódź Film School in Poland, Magnus von Horn has already made a name for himself with films exploring the depths of the human psyche. In The Young Woman with the Needle, he tackles difficult themes while introducing a careful aesthetic dimension that moves away from simple historical realism. Thehorror inspiration evoked by the director shines through in the omnipresent tension and growing unease that drive the narrative.
The visual reconstruction of Copenhagen in 1918, though deliberately reinterpreted, plays a key role in immersing the viewer. Costumes, sets and lighting all contribute to creating a world where intimate drama rubs shoulders with an almost phantasmagorical atmosphere.
With The Young Woman with the Needle, Magnus von Horn delivers a gripping historical drama, driven by powerful performances from Victoria Carmen Sonne and Trine Dyrholm. With its meticulous aesthetics and masterful narrative tension, the film explores heartbreaking human choices in a context of survival and social crisis. An ambitious work for lovers of demanding auteur cinema.
This article is based on information available online; we have not yet viewed the film or series mentioned.
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