In the arctic, as Saiva is being born, a shaman declares that she is evil and will bring harm to all who become involved with her. Saiva is cast out of her tribe of herders and grows up to live a nomadic existence with Anja, a young woman she adopts as an infant. Then Loki, an injured and starving soldier, stumbles into their isolated lives. The women nurse him back to health, but treachery, violence and doom await them all.
Cinematography
The Arctic IS the villain—gorgeous and murderous.
Acting
Yeoh's silent suffering could freeze your soul.
Direction
Kapadia makes 89 minutes feel like a lifetime of dread.
Director
Asif Kapadia
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Kapadia shot on location in Svalbard, Norway—cast and crew faced real hypothermia risks. The shivering? Often not acting.
This was Michelle Yeoh's deliberate pivot toward 'serious' dramatic roles after martial arts fame—she learned reindeer herding for months.
US
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