The Girl with the Needle (2024) – A Haunting Portrait of Despair and Survival
The Girl with the Needle (Pigen med nålen), directed by Magnus von Horn, is a stark and emotionally charged period drama that delves into one of Denmark’s most chilling true crime stories. Set in post-World War I Copenhagen, the film follows Karoline (Vic Carmen Sonne), a young factory worker who, after being abandoned by her lover and left pregnant, finds herself entangled with Dagmar Overbye (Trine Dyrholm), a woman running an illegal adoption service with a sinister secret.
🎬 Plot Overview
Karoline’s life is marked by hardship and abandonment. Seeking help, she turns to Dagmar, who offers to find homes for unwanted babies. Unbeknownst to Karoline, Dagmar is a serial killer who murdered infants under her care between 1915 and 1920. The film explores Karoline’s descent into despair and her eventual confrontation with the horrifying truth.
🎥 Cinematic Execution
Shot in haunting black-and-white by cinematographer Michał Dymek, the film captures the bleakness of post-war Copenhagen. The visuals are complemented by Frederikke Hoffmeier’s atonal score, which fuses with the sound of screaming newborns to enervating effect. The film’s momentum rides on the desperate desire to make it all stop.
🎭 Performances
Vic Carmen Sonne delivers a powerful performance as Karoline, portraying her character’s vulnerability and resilience with nuance. Trine Dyrholm’s portrayal of Dagmar is chilling, capturing the manipulative charm and underlying menace of a woman capable of unspeakable acts.
🏆 Critical Reception
Premiering at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, The Girl with the Needle received critical acclaim for its unflinching portrayal of a grim chapter in Danish history. The film was nominated for the Palme d’Or and later selected as Denmark’s submission for the Best International Feature Film at the 97th Academy Awards. It also earned nominations and awards at various international film festivals, including the European Film Awards and Camerimage.
📌 Conclusion
The Girl with the Needle is a harrowing yet compelling film that confronts the darkness of human nature and the societal failures that allow such darkness to flourish. Through its meticulous craftsmanship and powerful performances, the film offers a poignant exploration of despair, complicity, and the search for redemption.
Keywords: The Girl with the Needle, Magnus von Horn, Vic Carmen Sonne, Trine Dyrholm, Dagmar Overbye, Danish true crime, post-WWI Copenhagen, black-and-white cinematography, European Film Awards, Cannes Film Festival, Best International Feature Film, 2024 movies, period drama, serial killer, illegal adoption.