A young mother living in the heart of a Finnish forest begins to fear that her newborn might not be the child she imagined. After Egō, Finnish filmmaker Hanna Bergholm continues her exploration of bodily and familial horror with Nightborn, hitting French cinemas on July 22, 2026.
Nightborn follows Saga and her British husband Jon, who leave their old life behind to settle in the secluded house where the young woman spent part of her childhood. Nestled in the heart of the Finnish forest, the place is meant to help them build the peaceful family they dream of. But the birth of their son quickly turns that dream into a nightmare.
As those around them try to soothe her, Saga begins to sense in her baby signals she can’t explain and that alarm her. Jon wrestles with her fears, while tension grows within the couple. The narrative largely follows the mother’s perspective, leaving to linger the question of what she’s really seeing and how much of it might be fueled by exhaustion, isolation, or the upheavals of childbirth.
Hanna Bergholm co-wrote the screenplay with Ilja Rautsi. The filmmaker leans into the tropes of a horror fairy tale, blending body horror and Nordic folklore to probe the difficult emotions around parenting. The film zeroes in on the pressure placed on mothers, the fear of not loving your child the way you’re supposed to, and the rarely depicted physical realities of motherhood on screen.
Seidi Haarla stars as Saga opposite Rupert Grint, renowned for his portrayal of Ron Weasley in the Harry Potter saga, who plays her husband Jon. They’re joined by Pamela Tola, Pirkko Saisio, Silvia Saloranta and Rebecca Lacey.
Presented in competition at the Berlinale 2026, Nightborn is a co-production that unites Finland, Lithuania, France, and the United Kingdom. The film is aimed mainly at fans of psychological and bodily horror, as well as viewers curious about stories that use the fantastical to probe family dynamics.
Running time of 1h32, Nightborn is released in France by Wild Bunch Distribution. The film is rated 12 and up with an advisory and hits cinemas on July 22, 2026.
To prolong the in-theater experience, check out the July movie releases, the films to watch right now and our selection of horror films to see in theaters.
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