"Fjord"

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Matt Neglia (1:00)

You were listening to The Next Best Picture Podcast, and this is our review of Fjord.

Amy Kim (1:05)

Hello.

Matt Neglia (1:05)

Hi. We brought some gifts for the newcomers.

SPEAKER_1 (1:10)

You came all the way from? Bukarest, Romania.

Amy Kim (1:12)

But my wife is Norwegian.

Dan Bayer (1:15)

We have five children, unless there's some discipline, you know.

Amy Kim (1:19)

So. Hey, come down.

SPEAKER_1 (1:21)

I want to talk to you.

What happened to you? I just fell down the stairs.

Matt Neglia (1:29)

You had to pray every day?

Tom O'Brien (1:31)

What happens if you don't do your prayers? Is there a physical punishment? I'm from the local police.

Dan Bayer (1:43)

We just need to discuss something with you.

Tom O'Brien (1:45)

Discuss something with me?

Dan Bayer (1:47)

No?

Tom O'Brien (1:48)

No.

SPEAKER_1 (1:49)

Do you want to stay with me?

Dan Bayer (1:51)

You're going to take my baby. Don't they have to prove what they claim?

Tom O'Brien (1:55)

Not before they take the children.

SPEAKER_1 (1:57)

No.

Matt Neglia (1:58)

All right, everyone, you were listening to The Next Best Picture Podcast, and the story for Fjord is as follows. The Giorgio family, with a Romanian father and Norwegian mother, have moved to the mother's birthplace, a remote Norwegian village, and befriended the neighboring Hallberg family. When the Giorgis are suspected of disturbing behavior regarding their children, their lives are thrown into chaos as they become the center of scrutiny. The film is starring Sebastian Stan and Renate Reinsve. It is written and directed by Cristian Mungiu, and here to join me today for this Spoiler-Filled Podcast Review, I have Amy Kim.

Hello there.

Tom O'Brien. Hi everybody. Dan Bayer.

Dan Bayer (2:43)

Four months, three weeks, and two days since you saw this at Cannes, Matt?

Matt Neglia (2:47)

That actually might be. No, it's a little bit more than that, and Josh Parham. Hello, hello.

Okay, everyone. The new film from Cristian Mungiu, the second Pomdor-winning film in his filmography, following four months, three weeks, and two days, which is a movie that has gained quite a lot of, I mean, it had praise at the time of its release, but I think it's only grown in the years since then.

He's had other really great films, I think, since then as well. I know a lot of us were fans here of RMN., his last film before this one. But because he's working with people such as Renate Reinsve, Sebastian Stan, this is, for many people's, first Cristian Mungiu film I'm noticing. And there's a lot of young audiences who are watching this and also watching some of his earlier work, which I really, really love. I love every year, Cannes seems to really put into the spotlight a filmmaker who we've had on our radar for quite a while, but hasn't really crossed into the mainstream quite yet with something. And so with this film, it's being released by Neon, it is currently playing in limited release, and we are reviewing it before its theatrical expansion. The movie is thorny. The movie definitely raises a lot of questions, doesn't offer easy answers. It's one that has definitely caused quite a stir amongst people, something that Amy and myself encountered.

Pretty much the moment we walked out of the theater, out of Cannes, and started talking to people about it. So it's been a fun one to discuss. And I say that now before it actually goes wide in its theatrical release. I think by then it might become toxic hell on earth. But until then, the snowy landscapes are still frozen. They haven't melted quite yet. Here to kick us off here with, once again, spoiler, okay, people? That's your final warning. Spoiler thoughts, spoiler review. We are going to go in depth into everything that Fjord is discussing here from religion, immigration, and I'm sure beyond. Let's kick it off with Amy. Amy, what do you think of this movie?