‘The Girl with the Needle’ will be released nationwide on May 16 (Friday). A teaser trailer and poster have been unveiled.
The film is based on the infamous Dagmar Øverbye serial murder case, one of the most controversial in Scandinavian history. Set in post-World War I Copenhagen, it follows Karoline, a seamstress who falls in love with the factory owner. However, their relationship cannot survive due to their differences in social status, and she is left abandoned and unemployed. Already pregnant, she meets Dauma, a woman running an illegal adoption agency, but the situation soon escalates into what would become a national trauma in Denmark.
With unpredictable drama and a strong sense of psychological horror, enhanced by its sound design and art direction, the film has received critical acclaim. It is currently nominated for the International Feature Film Award at the 97th Academy Awards, which will be announced on March 3. Directed and written by Magnus von Horn, the film features music by Frelserke Hofmaier and cinematography by Michał Dimek. Vic Carmen Sonne stars as Karoline, while Trine Dyrholm plays Dauma.
The teaser video begins with a shot of a figure lying in a shabby room, followed by a long shadow stretching across a street. The scene shifts to a woman opening a door, revealing a chimney releasing smoke, a crying baby on a sofa, a crowd, a man with a mask screaming, and a woman holding her breath in a bathtub. The final shot features the woman asking, “What happened to the baby?” as the unsettling phrase “People often disappear in that town” appears over a spinning music box disc.
The teaser poster shows a single needle against a pitch-black background, exuding an elegant atmosphere. However, the needle shaft features the phrase “People often disappear in that town,” and through the eye of the needle, a woman curled up with her knees drawn to her chest can be seen.
The Girl with the Needle is a fairy tale for adults. When I chose this approach to tell a story that took place long ago, I also wanted to address a very contemporary issue—how to depict the people who fall into poverty and are subjected to suffering. Additionally, this film is inspired by the real events surrounding Denmark’s most controversial murder case. The national trauma told across time reminds us of what it means to turn a blind eye to society’s fears, a lesson that still resonates today.
Comment from Director Magnus von Horn
The Girl with the Needle
Director/Screenwriter: Magnus von Horn (Sweat)
Cinematography: Michał Dymek (EO)
Production Design: Jagna Dobesz (Ida)
Editing: Agnieszka Glińska (LAMB)
Music: Frelzerecke Hofmaier
Sound: Oscar Skrive (The Guilty)
Cast: Vic Carmen Sonne (Godland), Trine Dyrholm (A Royal Affair), Beśka Cecili
2024 / Denmark, Poland, Sweden / Danish / 123 minutes / 1.44:1 / Black and White / 5.1ch / PG-12
Original title: Pigen med nålen
English title: The Girl with the Needle
Japanese Subtitles: Minako Yoshikawa
Subtitle Supervision: Makoto Murai
Distributor: Transformer
(C) NORDISK FILM PRODUCTION / LAVA FILMS / NORDISK FILM PRODUCTION SVERIGE 2024
Opening May 16th (Friday) at Shinjuku Piccadilly, Human Trust Cinema Yurakucho, Shibuya White Cinequinto, and other theaters nationwide.
