Fjord - Movie Review | Deserving Palme d'Or Winner?

Added: 2026-05-31

[00:00:00]Hello everyone back from can and I have another review for you and what about the palm door winner Fior. Now there was a lot of speculation on which film would win the palm door. Being at can on the ground I felt a rather tepid response to Christian Mongju's latest film fjord. So many thought it would be Hamaguchi's all of a sudden or possibly Minotaur was being thrown out there. However, the palm door was awarded to Mongji's Fjord, making that neon's seventh palm door win in a row. And Fjord was my second favorite film from KN. You know, a really challenging film. I think worthy of the palm. However, quickly I could see on Twitter how this served to be a little bit of a divisive winner, including people who really haven't seen it. So, let's talk about the film I think that's causing quite a little bit of a stir. For those who don't know a fjord, supposedly inspired by the real cases that occurred in Norway, this one portrays a conservative Romanian couple, Mihi and Leette, who left Romania to live in a Norwegian town with their five children. When their daughter goes to school with bruises, an avalanche of accusations of child abuse is launched, causing public scrutiny and legal battles. This was a thought-provoking, challenging film that asks, I think, more questions than provides easy answers. And Christian MJ is is really exploring the threshold of cultural tolerance and asking liberals to question whether their beliefs can become their own form of fundamentalism.

[00:01:43]It's a tricky, politically charged film that I imagine will rub some people the wrong way and how it portrays a conservative family as victims of religious persecution by these intolerant liberals. I mean, he could have made the film easily in reverse about a liberal family moving to a country with conservative values and facing the same type of scrutiny. In my opinion, I think this would have been far too easy and spoke to a choir of practically no one. I think this likely would have had the opposite effect he was looking for and really just kind of affirming the thoughts of your typical independent filmgoing audience rather than challenging their thoughts. Infard Mandu has crafted a really complex dramatization applying his trademark observational style. His direction along with Tudor Vladimir Paru's very sterile uh cinematography avoids close-ups or flashy camera movements. We just really mostly watch these characters coldly at a distance really making us feel like spectators in this whole she said he said ordeal. I think the palm door winner Anatomy of Fall is another film that Fior is very similar to. While Anatomy of Fall was this autopsy of a marriage and also withheld the answer of whether Sandra was guilty or not and challenges the audience to really decide for themselves, you know, based on the fragmented pieces of evidence that are presented. Fior operates in a similar but kind of different way. While the marriage is put under a microscope and anatomy, in Fior it's really the couple's parental choices and religious beliefs. Mu also highlights the limitations in the weaponization of language to fit its own narrative. For example, the statement a slap on the butt can also be a synonym for the word hit. A cultural phrase in a conservativeleaning Romania would hold a very different meaning in a liberalleaning town of Norway. Or even the concept of discipline or obedience.

[00:03:49]It can be viewed as parental love or threats to a children's well-being really depending on that kind of geographical location. I think Mju does a really good job highlighting this. Also, both films take place in the snow, which I think is naturally always more cinematic than kind of like a rural landscape. Well, if you if you don't live in the snow, maybe it's just cinematic to me because I live in LA and I hardly see snow. Fjord really isn't solely about whether Mihi or Libbit is in fact guilty of child abuse. I think Mju brilliantly finds the right balance of withholding just enough information to still rise your suspicion, but still shows you enough to evoke a real frustration watching this family get torn apart by really lofty accusations fueled by people with unconscious biases. but believe in their hearts that they're doing the right and just thing. I love how this film really reflects that saying that everyone is the hero of their own stories. Cuz from their perspectives, these whistleblowers are heroes and protectors of innocent children, shielding them from their strict conservative parents, completely unaware that they are the antagonist of the story when viewed through a different lens. Strangely, watching the events play out at Ford also reminded me of this debate from Bill Maher from years ago between Sam Harris and Ben Affleck. The crux of the debate came between Sam Harris, claiming that many liberals were reluctant to stand by their own values and criticize Islamic ideas tied to homophobia and sexism. and Ben Affleck was rubbed the wrong way, feeling Harris's rhetoric was tinged with xenophobia, painting an entire ideology with these broad strokes.

[00:05:38]>> Liberals need to stand up for liberal principles.

[00:05:41]>> You're not listening to what we are saying.

[00:05:43]>> You guys are saying if you want to be liberals, believe in liberal principles like freedom of speech.

[00:05:47]>> Ben, we have to be able to criticize bad ideas. And >> of course we do. No liberal doesn't want to criticize bad ideas.

[00:05:52]>> But Islam is the motherload of bad ideas.

[00:05:55]>> Jesus. So we have we have an idea of like like >> I interpreted much of this film to really explore that exact crossroad and gray area within progressivism which in practice you know is accepting of other people's culture but also that discomfort when those beliefs are at odds with your personal values and the values of the country that you inhabit.

[00:06:17]I feel like Ford really got to the core of the question. How do liberal societies respond to beliefs or practices that don't align with theirs?

[00:06:27]And how does that reaction in turn become intolerant? The film is also just filled with ironies as well. The neighbors are always friendly in person but gossip and judge behind closed doors. They criticize the Guario's parenting choices and worry about their influence over their daughter. Yet we see that the neighbors parental skills with their daughter are not exactly ideal either. I think my favorite irony is revealed in court presenting the trauma that the Gorgios has inflicted on their children by not allowing them to have their own smartphone. As if giving your child access to one of these and endless screen time and social media and the wild west of the internet is not one of the most damaging things you can do for your child's mental health. There's also the irony of child protective services within this film and otherwise needed an important safeguard in protecting children. But how often these organizations can be wielded as a tool to kind of force cultural simulation and when used irresponsibly can cause more damage than protection. The performances from both Renate Reynve and Sebastian Stan I think are both perfectly restrained. They very much adapt and blend into MJU's kind of subdued style, not the other way around. Ryan is a very emotionally grounded performance as a wife who's really internalizing all of her frustration and embarrassment and really trying not to show it in order to make her way back to her children. And I think Sebastian Stan is excellent here.

[00:07:58]Nearly unrecognizable with a bald head using a Romanian accent. He's also incredibly subtle as well, but you can feel that kind of inner rage within him about to blow his lid at any moment. And I appreciate that MJU script allows us to see Stan as as a character with really kind of all types of qualities.

[00:08:18]You know, we see Mihi as a father who's really kind of hard set on passing down his conservative viewpoints, but yet also shows a genuine devotion to his children. I have heard criticisms that some of the younger actors within this film appeared a little stiff with their line deliveries, often sounding like kind of children in a Wes Anderson movie. That was something I did notice, but as the film kind of progressed in that second half, it was something that I didn't notice as much as the first half. At nearly two and a half hour runtime, I have to say that the film really flew by for me. And I think that's really due to Mongju really continually engaging you with all these different ethical dilemmas and the steady methodical pacing that he has.

[00:09:00]Though it's clear that Mongju does side with the Guaru's family. Mju I think could have blurred that line even further if he wanted to making these parents more problematic. And while that film I think would feel more balanced and more satisfactory to critics, I think it would be far less challenging and allow less room for self-criticism or reflection. And though the story itself is rather straightforward, I think MJU does leave a lot on the table for you to really ponder about, he also leaves you on a a rather unexpected and tragic note that I think gives you even more to mle over. I know Fior is destined to ruffle a few feathers, start a few difficult conversations. I think it already has, but I really thought it was strong. I'm going to give it I'm going to give it a nine out of 10. So, let's talk about Oscar. So, prior to winning the Palm Door, just based on the reactions thus far, I thought maybe it didn't have that punch needed to be nominated for best picture. However, now with that palm door and the star power of Sebastian Stan and Renate Ryan, I feel much more optimistic that this could be your anatomy of fall this year.

[00:10:07]So, I think nomination for best picture director screenplay. I think that feels pretty good for me. The performances are subtle, so I'm not sure they come along for the ride, but if they do, I feel like Sebastian Stan could be nominated since it is kind of somewhat transformative. Renita Ryanve I think would be on the cusp. Outside chances would be best editing and casting and based on the new academy ruling a non-English language film can be submitted for consideration by winning a qualifying award at an international film festival which includes the palm door. More than 50% of the dialogue needs to be in a language other than English. Personally, I remember there being English, but from my memory, the majority I think was in Norwegian. So, I believe that this would qualify for international film and if so, then you could definitely add that to the list of nominations. I think it is a film that will do well internationally and winning the Pomori is certainly a strength of that. I think the challenge with it was just an accident not getting in, which I think it was close. It got into screenplay, but I think the reason why it didn't get in was possibly that lack of actor support from the actors branch.

[00:11:21]And I don't think you're going to run into that issue with Fjord. But let me know what you all thought about Fjord when you check it out and what you think its Oscar chances are. Coming up next, I got my review from one of the biggest splashes from Can the Black Ball. Thanks for watching. Thanks for subscribing.

[00:11:38]And until next time, I'll see you at the Oscars and at CAN.