Norden

In a secluded Norwegian farmhouse cut off from civilization, Vos (15) is lovingly raised by his alternative mother Grace together with his 4 siblings. When his sister becomes very ill, his mother seeks healing in rituals and natural remedies. Vos starts to question his upbringing and hesitates between loyalty for his mother and his own desires.

The 15-year-old VOS grows up with his spiritual mother GRACE (45) and his four siblings: STORM (17), LIV (11), ODIN (7) and KAYA (5) in a country house in Norway, cut off from the outside world and modern technology. The Flemish family moved to Norway to lead a self-sustainable life. They enjoy living in the middle of the raw nature, next to a crystal-clear lake where they fish trout and a wild forest where the children go mushroom picking. When the mother pays a two-day visit to the local, remote village, Liv falls seriously ill, vomiting severely. Vos starts worrying about their food. Are they being poisoned by the mushrooms? Alarmed by the news that there has been a lead poisoning in the local village and that their groundwater might be polluted, Grace forbids the children to go fishing in their lake or use the groundwater, because Liv is probably being poisoned by the lead. Only the audacious Vos doesn’t listen, questioning his mother’s theories and secretly breaking the rules. While exploring, he meets Astrid (18), a Norwegian girl camping in the woods, sparking his curiosity about the outside world. As Liv's condition worsens, Grace clings to her natural remedies and spiritual beliefs, prompting Vos to question their safety. Torn between loyalty to his mother and his new desires sparked by Astrid and the outside world, Vos faces a pivotal decision.

Director's note:
The Ruinerwold case made headlines. On October 14, 2019, police discovered a father and his 5 children in a farmhouse in The Netherlands, prompted by the plea for help from Israel, the 6th child. The children, never registered, had lived in isolation for nine years. This, and other stories, particularly poignant for me as a new mother, inspired me to make a film about an adolescent raised in isolation with siblings due to their mother's spiritual choice to live apart from society. The film explores the thin line between alternative upbringing, isolation, and neglect, highlighting the lasting impacts of isolation on development and the potential for rebellion against extreme worldviews. I delve into children's conflicting loyalties and the challenges of breaking away from a singular ideology, which can feel like betrayal. This tension between personal growth and family ties forms the heart of my film. I hope I’ll be able to come and pitch my project to an international industry audience.

Producer's note:
Norden is a European arthouse film with potential and international appeal. We are eager to meet international professionals in the Baltic Event co-production market to gain inspiration, advice and new insights to (co-)produce in the region. Taking part in the Baltic Event will help us to find guidance from experienced industry experts and exchanges with fellow producers. I need feedback from many corners and, very importantly, build my network in the region to be able to investigate new co-production opportunities. We are in full development with this project (now following the MFI Script & development workshop) and have been advised by top industry experts to take part in this event.