MOVIE REVIEW

Fjord, rated R
*** ½  

Fjord is an excellent film that is based on a true story about a Romanian evangelical family who moves to Norway and is persecuted for their conservative religious beliefs. The story got international attention, leading to protests around the world, back in 2016. The subtitled film, which won the Palme d’Or at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, was written, directed and co-produced by Cristian Mungiu.
Gospel Coalition film critic Brett McCracken sets the story for us:
“The conflict arose when evangelical couple Marius and Ruth Bodnariu moved from Romania to Norway to raise their five children. The vast differences between their conservative values (including teaching their kids biblical sexual ethics), and the values of Norway’s progressive secularism came to a head in November 2015. That’s when the Barnevernet (Norway’s version of Child Protective Services) seized the Bodnarius’ children, ranging in age from 3 months to 9 years, and placed them in three different foster homes with limited parental visitation.”

The film follows the main points of the true story, while changing names, characters and a few of the story’s points. In the film, we know them as the Gheorghius family, with parents Mihai, played by Oscar nominee Sebastian Stan (The Apprentice), who is Romanian, and wife Lisbet, played by Oscar nominee Renate Reinsve (Sentimental Value), who is Norwegian. Mihai works as an IT Specialist and Lisbet works in health care.
The Gheorghius’ neighbors are the Halbergs. Mats Halberg, played by Markus Scarth Tønseth, is the headmaster of the local school. Mats’ wife Mia, played by Lisa Carlehed, is a lawyer who eventually helps Mihai and Lisbet in their battle to regain custody of their children. The Halberg’s teenage daughter Noora, is played by Henrikke Lund-Olsen. Noora presents a significant challenge for her parents, but finds a good friends in the Gheorghius’ oldest children Elia, played by Vanessa Ceban, and Emmanuel, played by Jonathan Ciprian Breazu.
McCracken writes, and I agree, that the film presents two ways of life to the audience, allowing viewers to decide which seems more likely to lead to flourishing.
The film is rated R for some language, a scene of self-harm, and brief nudity of corpses. It includes some amazing cinematography of the rural fjord setting (cold, snow, avalanches).
The film features a good cast and strong performances by the two lead characters Sebastian Stan and Renate Reinsve.
This is one of the best films we have seen this year, and one that we would encourage you to see if you get the chance.