Movie spotlight
Struggling to survive in post-WWI Copenhagen, a newly unemployed and pregnant young woman is taken in by a charismatic elder to help run an underground adoption agency. The two form an unexpected bond, until a sudden discovery changes everything.
In post-World War II Denmark, a young woman named Karoline takes a job as a nurse in a maternity clinic run by the imposing Dagmar. As Karoline delves deeper into the clinic's operations, she uncovers a dark secret involving the illicit sale of newborns to affluent families. Torn between her loyalty to Dagmar and her growing moral unease, Karoline must confront the devastating consequences of her actions and the ethical compromises she makes.
The film received a generally positive reception, with critics praising its atmospheric tension, strong performances, and unflinching exploration of difficult themes. While some found the pacing deliberate, the overall consensus highlighted its compelling narrative and the disturbing portrayal of societal issues.
Praised for its haunting atmosphere and tense storytelling.
Vic Carmen Sonne's performance as Karoline is a standout.
Explores complex moral dilemmas with a dark, compelling tone.
Google audience: Audience reception data for 'The Girl with the Needle' on Google is not yet widely available.
Premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in the Un Certain Regard section.
The film is inspired by a true story of a Copenhagen maternity home that operated between 1918 and 1937, where babies were secretly sold.
AI-generated overview · Verify ratings on official sources
*“The Girl with the Needle is a subtly cruel piece of cinema, a film that toys with the viewer's emotions much like Lars von Trier's Breaking the Waves. What makes this sadistic tension even more striking is the film's almost naïve sinc...
*“The Girl with the Needle is a subtly cruel piece of cinema, a film that toys with the viewer's emotions much like Lars von Trier's Breaking the Waves. What makes this sadistic tension even more striking is the film's almost naïve sinc...
Just after the end of the Great War, the young and expecting “Karoline” (Vic Carmen Sonne) finds herself alone and with little prospects after confusion around whether her soldier husband is alive or dead reigns and she is swiftly shunned b...
The Girl with the Needle: Technical Brilliance, Narrative Limitations Magnus Van Horn's "The Girl with the Needle" is a masterclass in period production design and atmospheric storytelling, yet ultimately falls short of its narrative pot...
I really enjoyed this movie. It was dark, chilling, unsettling and very real. The cinematography took me away. It immersed me so much from picture to picture. Yes, this movie is grotesque and pushes a boundary. But the storytelling is quite...
Having been trained as a journalist, I’m generally not one to back away from an unsettling story, whether told through reporting or on the silver screen. However, there are times when I have to question the wisdom of whether certain films s...