When you're a horror fan, it can be hard to gauge what gentler crowds would consider to be "too far." Horror is a wide umbrella housing tons of subgenres, each with their own expectations; pushing those boundaries can -- and does -- cause visceral reactions in moviegoers.
The most recent recipient of this lesson is Norwegian filmmaker Eskil Vogt, director of the bad seed horror movie "The Innocents." The movie concerns a small group of Norwegian kids who discover they have supernatural gifts; not Miles Morales superpowers, but Carrie White superpowers. The movie made the festival rounds in 2021 with varying results: while the midnight movie masses at Austin's Fantastic Fest seek out killer kid movies like "Goodnight Mommy," the Cannes crowd spooks easily. Some, like "Crimes of the Future" director David Cronenberg, come to expect walkouts from their work. While Vogt considers his work tame compared to Cronenberg's, a tragic...
The most recent recipient of this lesson is Norwegian filmmaker Eskil Vogt, director of the bad seed horror movie "The Innocents." The movie concerns a small group of Norwegian kids who discover they have supernatural gifts; not Miles Morales superpowers, but Carrie White superpowers. The movie made the festival rounds in 2021 with varying results: while the midnight movie masses at Austin's Fantastic Fest seek out killer kid movies like "Goodnight Mommy," the Cannes crowd spooks easily. Some, like "Crimes of the Future" director David Cronenberg, come to expect walkouts from their work. While Vogt considers his work tame compared to Cronenberg's, a tragic...
- 11/14/2022
- by Anya Stanley
- Slash Film
Joachim Trier’s Oscar-nominated smash “The Worst Person in the World,” about a young woman trying to figure out what – and who – she really wants in her life, won big at Norway’s Amanda Awards on Saturday night, scooping five statuettes, including one for best film.
Trier, who now holds the title for most Amanda Awards, also won for best screenplay with his long-time collaborator Eksil Vogt. The film’s breakout star Renate Reinsve, already awarded at Cannes, picked up her first Amanda for her portrayal of Julie, with Anders Danielsen Lie named best supporting actor.
Back in February, Reinsve – who will be next seen in “A Different Man” alongside Sebastian Stan – opened up about her work with Trier, which started in 2011 on “Oslo, August 31st,” her very first feature film.
“I was an extra with one line. I had nothing to compare it to – it was my first movie set.
Trier, who now holds the title for most Amanda Awards, also won for best screenplay with his long-time collaborator Eksil Vogt. The film’s breakout star Renate Reinsve, already awarded at Cannes, picked up her first Amanda for her portrayal of Julie, with Anders Danielsen Lie named best supporting actor.
Back in February, Reinsve – who will be next seen in “A Different Man” alongside Sebastian Stan – opened up about her work with Trier, which started in 2011 on “Oslo, August 31st,” her very first feature film.
“I was an extra with one line. I had nothing to compare it to – it was my first movie set.
- 8/21/2022
- by Marta Balaga
- Variety Film + TV
Stars: Rakel Lenora Flottum, Alva Brynsmo Ramstad, Sam Ashraf, Mina Yasmin Bremseth Asheim, Ellen Dorrit Petersen, Morten Svartveit, Kadra Yusuf, Lisa Tonne | Written and Directed by Eskil Vogt
Director Eskil Vogt is having quite the year. Releasing two movies that have received plaudits by pretty much everyone that has seen them. The first, The Worst Person in the World and this, his second, The Innocents.
There have been a few movies in the last few years that have tried to blend sci-fi, horror and superhero genres. Perhaps the most well known came in the form of Brightburn. A surprisingly brutal movie that lead with the premise of ‘what if Superman was evil?’. Personally, I really enjoyed the indie movie Freaks, which had this awesome dark sci-fi vibe and was full of surprises. So The Innocents isn’t completely original in its thinking but it still stands out with its own ideas and quality.
Director Eskil Vogt is having quite the year. Releasing two movies that have received plaudits by pretty much everyone that has seen them. The first, The Worst Person in the World and this, his second, The Innocents.
There have been a few movies in the last few years that have tried to blend sci-fi, horror and superhero genres. Perhaps the most well known came in the form of Brightburn. A surprisingly brutal movie that lead with the premise of ‘what if Superman was evil?’. Personally, I really enjoyed the indie movie Freaks, which had this awesome dark sci-fi vibe and was full of surprises. So The Innocents isn’t completely original in its thinking but it still stands out with its own ideas and quality.
- 5/17/2022
- by Alain Elliott
- Nerdly
It’s a fraught moment when children make the connection that pain is something to avoid feeling, but might also be useful to inflict, especially when adults aren’t around. That’s one of the many shrewd observations underscoring “The Innocents,” Eskil Vogt’s unsettling tale of a cruel summer for a quartet of kids who become friends over their discovery of mysterious powers.
It’s certainly daring of the Norwegian writer-director, a recent Oscar nominee for co-scripting Joachim Trier’s “The Worst Person in the World,” to give his slow-burning, supernatural chiller the same title as Jack Clayton’s 1961 adaptation of “The Turn of the Screw,” one of the all-time great horror movies featuring creepy little ones.
But Vogt, with his second feature, has crafted a disturbing and original heart-pounder all his own, uncommonly attuned to the perspective of unsocialized prepubescents: how their feelings work, what their minds process...
It’s certainly daring of the Norwegian writer-director, a recent Oscar nominee for co-scripting Joachim Trier’s “The Worst Person in the World,” to give his slow-burning, supernatural chiller the same title as Jack Clayton’s 1961 adaptation of “The Turn of the Screw,” one of the all-time great horror movies featuring creepy little ones.
But Vogt, with his second feature, has crafted a disturbing and original heart-pounder all his own, uncommonly attuned to the perspective of unsocialized prepubescents: how their feelings work, what their minds process...
- 5/12/2022
- by Robert Abele
- The Wrap
Creepy, demonic children have long been one of horror’s go-to tropes, and for good reason: taking someone adorable and making them do evil things is a great scare tactic. In most cases, the cinematic gold lies in the juxtaposition of two extremes. Little kids are supposed to be innocent, loving, jubilant creatures without a care in the world. When a film tries to scare us with fucked up toddlers, we’re meant to assume that we’re watching something utterly different from the small children we know. Whether the little brats are possessed by demons or are actually the ghosts of murder victims, the distinction is always clear: kids are supposed to be good, but these ones are bad.
Yet the latest entry in the child horror genre, Eskil Vogt’s “The Innocents,” opts to take a very different path. Instead of juxtaposing childhood innocence against adult evils, it seamlessly combines the two.
Yet the latest entry in the child horror genre, Eskil Vogt’s “The Innocents,” opts to take a very different path. Instead of juxtaposing childhood innocence against adult evils, it seamlessly combines the two.
- 5/11/2022
- by Christian Zilko
- Indiewire
Norwegian filmmaker Eskil Vogt had quite a 2021, bringing both his most recent collaboration with Joachim Trier, The Worst Person in the World (for which he would go on to be Oscar-nominated), and his latest directorial effort, The Innocents, to Cannes.
Now getting a release this week via IFC Midnight, his grounded supernatural drama follows four children over a summer holiday as they discover abilities that lead down dark, strange paths. With a unique perspective told through the point-of-view of the children, Vogt crafts a haunting tale of morality.
Ahead of the film’s release, I spoke with Vogt about working with his young cast, reactions from parents, sharing a title with the Jack Clayton classic, inspirations as far-ranging from David Cronenberg to The Spirit of the Beehive to manga, Joachim Trier’s advice, and more.
The Film Stage: You pull off quite a difficult balance with this film, working with...
Now getting a release this week via IFC Midnight, his grounded supernatural drama follows four children over a summer holiday as they discover abilities that lead down dark, strange paths. With a unique perspective told through the point-of-view of the children, Vogt crafts a haunting tale of morality.
Ahead of the film’s release, I spoke with Vogt about working with his young cast, reactions from parents, sharing a title with the Jack Clayton classic, inspirations as far-ranging from David Cronenberg to The Spirit of the Beehive to manga, Joachim Trier’s advice, and more.
The Film Stage: You pull off quite a difficult balance with this film, working with...
- 5/10/2022
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
"What do you do when someone's mean?" IFC Midnight has unveiled an official US trailer for a freaky little Norwegian thriller about kids with powers called The Innocents, made by a writer / director named Eskil Vogt. In addition to directing the film Blind, which made my Top 10 in 2014, Vogt is also a co-writer on the Oscar-nominated The Worst Person in the World with his fellow filmmaker Joachim Trier. But this one is a bit scarier. During the bright Nordic summer, a group of children reveal their dark and mysterious powers when the adults aren't looking. In this original, gripping supernatural thriller, playtime takes a dangerous turn. The films stars Rakel Lenora Fløttum as Ida, Alva Brynsmo Ramstad as Anna, Sam Ashraf as Ben, and Mina Yasmin Bremseth Asheim as Aisha. I caught this in Cannes and it's seriously unsettling, though I wasn't the biggest fan of the film overall. But...
- 3/1/2022
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Deadly Friend Collector’S Edition: "From Director Wes Craven comes a terrifying tale of technology gone haywire! A lonely teenage genius, a specialist in brain research, has two best friends: his remarkable robot and a beautiful girl next door. When tragedy strikes both of his friends, he desperately tries to save them by pushing technology beyond its mortal limits into a terrifying new realm. Like a modern-day Dr. Frankenstein, Paul discovers too late that he has created a rampaging monster!
Directed by West Craven and featuring an all-star cast including Matthew Labyorteaux, Kristy Swanson, Michael Sharrett, and Anne Twomey, this entertaining sci-fi, horror cult classic makes its Blu-ray debut in a Collector’s Edition on October 12, 2021 from Scream Factory. Deadly Friend Collector’s Edition features new 2K scan, new interviews with Kristy Swanson, screenwriter Bruce Joel Rubin, special makeup effects artist Lance Anderson, and more. Fans can pre-order their copies now by visiting ShoutFactory.
Directed by West Craven and featuring an all-star cast including Matthew Labyorteaux, Kristy Swanson, Michael Sharrett, and Anne Twomey, this entertaining sci-fi, horror cult classic makes its Blu-ray debut in a Collector’s Edition on October 12, 2021 from Scream Factory. Deadly Friend Collector’s Edition features new 2K scan, new interviews with Kristy Swanson, screenwriter Bruce Joel Rubin, special makeup effects artist Lance Anderson, and more. Fans can pre-order their copies now by visiting ShoutFactory.
- 9/9/2021
- by Jonathan James
- DailyDead
Exclusive: IFC Midnight has acquired U.S. rights to coming-of-age supernatural drama The Innocents, which debuted at Cannes and has just been announced for Fantastic Fest.
The dark morality fable, which unfolds under the bright Nordic sun, follows a group of young children who become friends during the summer holidays, drawn together by the discovery of mysterious shared abilities. Out of sight of the adults, the children bond quickly, exploring their newfound powers and testing their limits in the forests and playgrounds surrounding their brutalist apartment complex. As the children’s loyalties shift and small cruelties escalate, their innocent play takes a dark turn towards the malevolent, and strange things begin to happen.
IFC plans to release the film from writer-director Eskil Vogt in 2022.
One of Scandinavia’s most acclaimed recent screenwriters, known for his collaborations with Joachim Trier, including Thelma, Louder Than Bombs, and Oslo, August 31, Vogt made his...
The dark morality fable, which unfolds under the bright Nordic sun, follows a group of young children who become friends during the summer holidays, drawn together by the discovery of mysterious shared abilities. Out of sight of the adults, the children bond quickly, exploring their newfound powers and testing their limits in the forests and playgrounds surrounding their brutalist apartment complex. As the children’s loyalties shift and small cruelties escalate, their innocent play takes a dark turn towards the malevolent, and strange things begin to happen.
IFC plans to release the film from writer-director Eskil Vogt in 2022.
One of Scandinavia’s most acclaimed recent screenwriters, known for his collaborations with Joachim Trier, including Thelma, Louder Than Bombs, and Oslo, August 31, Vogt made his...
- 9/9/2021
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
IFC Midnight has picked up the U.S. rights to Eskil Vogt’s Cannes festival favorite The Innocents, snatching up the Nordic supernatural horror film from Protagonist, who are handling world sales.
The feature is a low-tech but high-concept coming-of-age film about a group of young children who develop supernatural powers. As they experiment with their newfound abilities, what starts as innocent play soon takes a darker turn as small cruelties escalate towards violence.
The film stars a cast of children — Rakel Lenora Fløttum, Alva Brynsmo Ramstad, Mina Yasmin Bremseth Asheim and Sam Ashraf — all under the age of ...
The feature is a low-tech but high-concept coming-of-age film about a group of young children who develop supernatural powers. As they experiment with their newfound abilities, what starts as innocent play soon takes a darker turn as small cruelties escalate towards violence.
The film stars a cast of children — Rakel Lenora Fløttum, Alva Brynsmo Ramstad, Mina Yasmin Bremseth Asheim and Sam Ashraf — all under the age of ...
IFC Midnight has picked up the U.S. rights to Eskil Vogt’s Cannes festival favorite The Innocents, snatching up the Nordic supernatural horror film from Protagonist, who are handling world sales.
The feature is a low-tech but high-concept coming-of-age film about a group of young children who develop supernatural powers. As they experiment with their newfound abilities, what starts as innocent play soon takes a darker turn as small cruelties escalate towards violence.
The film stars a cast of children — Rakel Lenora Fløttum, Alva Brynsmo Ramstad, Mina Yasmin Bremseth Asheim and Sam Ashraf — all under the age of ...
The feature is a low-tech but high-concept coming-of-age film about a group of young children who develop supernatural powers. As they experiment with their newfound abilities, what starts as innocent play soon takes a darker turn as small cruelties escalate towards violence.
The film stars a cast of children — Rakel Lenora Fløttum, Alva Brynsmo Ramstad, Mina Yasmin Bremseth Asheim and Sam Ashraf — all under the age of ...
The Innocents, the assured sophomore feature from Eskil Vogt, is a prickly film about childhood morality designed to get under its audience’s skin. It quickly becomes apparent that the remaining unease has very little to do with the lingering effects of slow-burning horror, and much more with problematic casting choices that render the drama uncomfortable. It’s a shame as this is a confident effort, utilizing many of the same vague supernatural aspects as 2017’s Thelma (for which Vogt co-wrote the screenplay with frequent collaborator Joachim Trier) to tell a completely different coming-of-age story. It makes for an unsettling, more overtly horrifying companion piece, but one with too many noticeable flaws to properly escape from its shadow.
Set almost entirely in a Norwegian apartment complex comprising looming industrial blocks, scenic gardens, and forests, Vogt’s drama follows Ida (Rakel Lenora Fløttum), who has moved to the area with her...
Set almost entirely in a Norwegian apartment complex comprising looming industrial blocks, scenic gardens, and forests, Vogt’s drama follows Ida (Rakel Lenora Fløttum), who has moved to the area with her...
- 7/15/2021
- by Alistair Ryder
- The Film Stage
Not every child with nascent paranormal abilities gets scooped up into Professor Xavier’s school for incipient X-Men. Some, like those in Eskil Vogt’s superbly atmospheric, deftly crafted horror “The Innocents,” live in massive Norwegian tower blocks — concrete jungles set in deep forests bathed in cool, endless Nordic summer sun — and hone their powers on rocks and deeply unfortunate cats. ; its most striking aspect may just be the empathy Vogt displays for his 7- to 11-year-old stars, and the extraordinary juvenile performances that empathy brings out.
The first glimmer of the supernatural is a tiny one: Blink and you’ll miss it. A bottle cap, dropped from a little girl’s fist, falls crookedly, zagging from where she stands to land a few feet away. The girl is Ida (Rakel Lenora Fløttum), a new arrival to this apartment complex, along with her parents (Ellen Dorrit Pedersen and Morten Svartveit...
The first glimmer of the supernatural is a tiny one: Blink and you’ll miss it. A bottle cap, dropped from a little girl’s fist, falls crookedly, zagging from where she stands to land a few feet away. The girl is Ida (Rakel Lenora Fløttum), a new arrival to this apartment complex, along with her parents (Ellen Dorrit Pedersen and Morten Svartveit...
- 7/11/2021
- by Jessica Kiang
- Variety Film + TV
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