The Girl With the Needle

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The Girl With the Needle

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2h 3m

Drama

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93%

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98 Reviews

84%

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100+ Ratings

A standout selection from the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, THE GIRL WITH THE NEEDLE is a dark fairy tale about one woman's search for tenderness and morality in a cruel world. Both eerie and exquisite, writer-director Magnus von Horn's latest film tracks young factory worker Karoline as she struggles to survive in post-WWI Copenhagen. When she ends up unemployed, abandoned and pregnant, the charismatic Dagmar takes her in to help run an underground adoption agency for unwanted children. The two women form an unexpected bond, until a sudden revelation changes everything. Based on a chilling true story, THE GIRL WITH THE NEEDLE presents a masterful gothic vision with profound contemporary resonance. Denmark's Best International Feature Film entry to the 97th Academy Awards® also features EFA-nominated performances from Vic Carmen Sonne and Trine Dyrholm, gorgeous cinematography by EO's Michał Dymek, and a spellbinding score by Frederikke Hoffmeier (Puce Mary).

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Critics Consensus

Threading its grim tale through sumptuous black-and-white photography, The Girl with the Needle is a haunting parable made with superb craft.

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Michael O'Sullivan

Washington Post

Sonne delivers a twitchy performance, lurching from meek withdrawal to rage.

Rated: 3/4

Feb 3, 2025

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Richard Whittaker

Austin Chronicle

Its answers are uneasy and disquieting, and the true root of its horror.

Rated: 3.5/5

Jan 31, 2025

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Christy Lemire

FilmWeek (KPCC - NPR Los Angeles)

It is so exquisitely well-crafted but such a downer and hard to watch.

Jan 17, 2025

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Joe Friar

Fort Worth Report

With echoes of David Lynch, the Oscar-nominated international feature delivers several jolts, captivating the audience. The powerful performances by Vic Carmen Sonne and Trine Dyrholm are lasting.

Rated: 3.5/4

Feb 22, 2025

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Casey Chong

Talking Films

An uncompromisingly bleak black-and-white period drama and psychological horror.

Rated: 4/5

Feb 14, 2025

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Michelle Kisner

The Movie Sleuth

The Girl with the Needle is an attempt to understand what kind of environment would facilitate heinous acts of cruelty and what would make an individual see those acts as the ultimate kindness

Feb 11, 2025

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Melissa

Absolutely brutal and unsparing look at life in poverty in post-WWI Denmark and how some people will go to any length to survive. Not for the faint of heart.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/08/25

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Audience Member

A very well done film with a message underneath it. This is the director‘s third film and I haven’t seen his other two. After watching this I want to. This deserve the nomination for best international film, and I hope it wins. Daring, disturbing and horrific. Wonderful..

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/19/25

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Fadi M

فيلم تراجيدي جريء ممتاز من حيث التسلسل الزمني

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/19/25

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Natasha J

a very important watch

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/12/25

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Samir S

In its stark, atmospheric world, where every frame is heavy with unspoken fears, we get to witness a disturbing exploration of control and vulnerability. This film forces you to sit with its unease, questioning how history repeats itself in various forms and on multiple scales. Vic Carmen Sonne delivers a haunting performance, balancing quiet resilience with an underlying fragility. Trine Dyrholm is chillingly charismatic, making Dagmar’s kindness feel as suffocating as it is comforting. If you appreciate films that are unsettling yet deeply reflective, this one is worth your time.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/10/25

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sebastian andres o

One of the best international films of the year, without a doubt, Danish cinema once again demonstrates the narrative strength it has and a director who once again positions his name as one to always follow. A sinister proposal that leaves you disturbed when you discover its twists and its real intentions, a film for the brave.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/09/25

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Magnus von Horn

Director

Vic Carmen Sonne

Karoline

Trine Dyrholm

Dagmar

Besir Zeciri

Peter

Ava Knox Martin

Erena

Joachim Fjelstrup

Jørgen

The Girl with the Needle: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

A standout selection from the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, THE GIRL WITH THE NEEDLE is a dark fairy tale about one woman's search for tenderness and morality in a cruel world. Both eerie and exquisite, writer-director Magnus von Horn's latest film tracks young factory worker Karoline as she struggles to survive in post-WWI Copenhagen. When she ends up unemployed, abandoned and pregnant, the charismatic Dagmar takes her in to help run an underground adoption agency for unwanted children. The two women form an unexpected bond, until a sudden revelation changes everything. Based on a chilling true story, THE GIRL WITH THE NEEDLE presents a masterful gothic vision with profound contemporary resonance. Denmark's Best International Feature Film entry to the 97th Academy Awards® also features EFA-nominated performances from Vic Carmen Sonne and Trine Dyrholm, gorgeous cinematography by EO's Michał Dymek, and a spellbinding score by Frederikke Hoffmeier (Puce Mary).

Director: Magnus von Horn
Producer: Malene Blenkov, Mariusz Włodarski
Screenwriter: Magnus von Horn, Line Langebek
Distributor: MUBI
Production Co: Nordisk Film
Genre: Drama
Original Language: Danish
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 6, 2024, Limited
Box Office (Gross USA): $99.1K
Runtime: 2h 3m
Sound Mix: Dolby Digital

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