Norsk filminstitutt

Feature film Beware of Children
(Barn)

When a crisis strikes, we reveal our true colours.

Lykke, the 13-year old daughter of a Labour Party politician, accidentally kills Jamie, the son of a high profile rightwing politician. The film traces the aftermath of the accident, and examines the implications of having, and being, a child in contemporary Norway.

Beware of Children traces the dramatic aftermath of a tragic event in a middle class suburb of Oslo. During a break in school 13 year-old Lykke, the daughter of a prominent Labour Party member, seriously injures her classmate Jamie, the son of a high profile right-wing politician. When Jamie later dies in hospital, contradicting versions of what actually happened risks making a difficult and traumatic situation worse. Was it only innocent play behind? Liv, the school’s principal and the secret lover of Jamie’s father, must find the strength to confront a community in distress, and her own highly conflicted emotions. 

Production and distribution

Production Year:
2019
Production country:
Norway
Co production country:
Sweden
Release date (national):
2019-09-13
Release date (international):
2019-09-03
Production company:
Motlys A/S
Co production company:
Plattform Produktion
Film i Väst
Financing company:
Norwegian Film Institute
Swedish Film Institute
Film i Väst
Producer:
Yngve Sæther
Line producer:
Cecilie Sjølett
Co producer:
Erik Hemmendorff
Tomas Eskilson
Film consultant:
Silje Riise Næss
Sales agent:
Picture Tree International GmbH

Director

  • Dag Johan Haugerud

    Dag Johan Haugerud (born 1964). He is educated as a librarian with additional courses to the equivalent of a Bachelors Degree in Film Sciences from Stockholm University as well as studies in dramaturgy from the University of Oslo and creative writing studies from Telemark University College.

    He has worked as a journalist and as dramatist for various dance- and theatre- companies. He has also published four novels Noe med natur - Something about nature (1999) Den som er veldig sterk må også være veldig snill - The one who is very strong must also be very kind (2002) Hva jeg betyr - What I means (2011) and Enkle atonale stykker for barn - Simple atonal pieces for children (2016) for which he won the NRK P2-listeners Novel Prize.

    He made his debut as a film director with the short 16 Living Clichés in 1998 and has since directed numerous short films many of which award-winners - as for example Lust (2000) which won the Grand Prix at the Norwegian Short Film Festival in Grimstad. I Belong (2012) Haugerud’s feature film debut was awarded the Norwegian Critics’ Prize and four Norwegian Amanda awards. His next film I’m the One You Want (2014) a 53 minute film consisting of a single monologue also received a theatrical release. With the film Beware of Children (2019), he competed in the prestigious Venice Film Festival sidebar Giornate degli Autori in 2019. The film won the Dragon Award / Best Nordic Film - Gotebörg Festival 2020.

    Dag Johan Haugerud

Cast

Liv:
Henriette Steenstrup
Anders:
Jan Gunnar Røise
Lundemo:
Thorbjørn Harr
Jan:
Brynjar Bandlien
Lykke's Mother:
Andrea Bræin Hovig
Lykke's Father:
Hans Olav Brenner
Lykke:
Ella Øverbye
Torunn:
Anne Marit Jacobsen

Awards

2019:
Thessaloniki International Film Festival
FIPRESCI Award
Human Values Award given by the Hellenic Parliament.
2020:
Göteborg International Film Festival
Dragon Award Best Nordic Film
Audience Dragon Award Best Nordic Film

Festivals

2019:
Venice Days
2019:
Busan International Film Festival
2019:
Antalya Golden Organge Film Festival
2019:
Thessaloniki International Film Festival
2019:
Noordelijk Film Festival
2020:
Göteborg International Film Festival
2020:
Belgrade International Film Festival
2020:
Vilnius International Film Festival Kino Pavasaris
2020:
Taipei International Film Festival
2020:
Molodist - Kiev International Film Festival
2020:
Love & Anarchy - Helsinki International Film Festival
2020:
Riga International Film Festival
2020:
Nordic Film Days Lübeck
2020:
New Horizons International Film Festival

Crew

Director:
Dag Johan Haugerud
Screenplay:
Dag Johan Haugerud
Cinematographer:
Øystein Mamen
Editor:
Jens Christian Fodstad
Composer:
Peder Kjellsby
Arnaud Fleurent-Didier
ProductionDesigner:
Tuva Hølmebakk
Sound Design:
Gisle Tveito
Costume Designer:
Ida Toft
Makeup artist:
Maren Anna Olstad
Still photographer:
Lars Olav Dybvig
Casting:
Celine Engebrigtsen
Jannicke Stendal Hansen
First assistant director:
Paul Tunge

Technical information

Genre:
Drama
Format:
DCP 2k
Colour:
Colour
Length in min's:
157'
Language:
Norwegian
Subtitles:
English

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