Inspired by true events, “Fjord” revolves around a conservative Christian Romanian-Norwegian family who move to a small village in Norway. Father Mihai (Sebastian Stan) and mother Lisbeth (Renate Reinsve) are happy, but after suspicions of abuse, their children are taken into the care of social services.
The conflict is the start of a culture war - and "Fjord" has been criticized for not taking a clear position on it.
The main criticism that some people level at me is that I do not explicitly condemn the conservative position, and then it is as if I am encouraging it, says Cristian Mungiu.
The line between upbringing and violence is deliberately blurred, while the suspicion of hidden abuse means that the authorities' intervention is possibly completely correct, says Mungiu, who sees himself as a moderator:
I highlighted facts and two different sets of values in a situation where people don't think the same way. But even that is considered wrong!
Not black and white
Swedish actress Lisa Carlehed plays Mia, the family's neighbor who becomes the parents' lawyer. Her character becomes a bridge between the two incompatible worlds.
"It's so impressive to have a film that makes you change your mind several times. It throws out new things where you think okay, everyone is right, everyone is wrong. It's nice that it's not black and white," says Carlehed.
"Fjord" gave Mungiu his second Palme d'Or, the first he won in 2007 with the abortion drama "4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days".
“Becoming violent animals”
Mungiu has depicted religious groupthink in “Beyond the Mountains” (2012) and xenophobia in “RMN” (2022). With “Fjord” he wanted to explore what happens when conservatives end up in the minority, by putting the audience in their shoes.
As soon as we identify someone as belonging to another group, we become violent animals. But the first animal you should tame is the one within yourself. Don't think so much about the others being to blame. Try to change the world through yourself, he says.
Mungiu believes that the world is less liberal today than it was 15 years ago, due to the polarization fueled by social media.
"We live in our bubbles where we share opinions with people who have the same ideas as us about what society should be like. I think we need to find a way to leave these bubbles if we are to be able to recreate some kind of social peace," says Mungiu.
Age: 58 years old (born April 27, 1968)
Place of birth: Iasi, Romania
Selected films: "4 months, 3 weeks and 2 days" (2007), "Beyond the Mountains" (2012), "The Trial" (2016), "RMN" (2022), "Fjord" (2026).
Selected awards: Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival for "4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days" (2007) and "Fjord" (2026).
Best Director at the Cannes Film Festival for "The Trial" (2016).
Best Screenplay at the Cannes Film Festival for "Beyond the Mountains" (2012).
Current with: "Fjord", which will have its Swedish cinema premiere on October 2, 2026.
