The Truth Behind Oscar Season’s ‘MAGA Movie’
Mobra Films Weeks before the release of the Palme d’Or-winning Fjord (in select theaters on Friday, Oct.
9), the movie’s lead actor, Sebastian Stan, was already on defense about the film’s supposedly right-leaning politics.
In response to chatter out of this year’s Cannes Film Festival that Fjord was essentially a “MAGA movie,” Stan said critics were prejudging the film based on its premise.
“A lot of those reactions come from people who haven’t seen the movie,” Stan told Variety in September.
“It highlights why we need more films like this—to remind us there was a time when people could meet, disagree, and at least hear each other out.” It’s true that Fjord, from Romanian New Wave filmmaker Cristian Mungiu, sounds more like an Angel Studios drama than a potential Oscars frontrunner, alongside a gay war epic and a comedy about swinging . [ WARNING : Spoilers ahead] Inspired by the story of Ruth and Marius Bodnariu, Fjord follows evangelical couple Mihai (Stan) and Lisbet Gheorghiu (Renate Reinsve), who are suspected of child abuse upon moving to a small town in Lisbet’s native Norway.
The country’s Child Protective Services seize all five of the Gheorghius’ children, including their infant who still needs breast milk.
The film follows the blistering legal battle that crosses the line between child protection and religious persecution.
While labeling Fjord a “MAGA movie” is a bit of a lazy generalization—after all, it does take place in Norway—it’s easy to see how the film could excite conservative pundits like Ben Shapiro and Megyn Kelly, while getting under the skin of some liberals.
For most moviegoers, though, Mungiu’s thinkpiece will likely have a less rousing effect than intended.
The truth about Fjord is this : I t’s so rudimentary and, at times, silly that it was hard to muster any real outrage.
The film is essentially two-plus hours of Mungiu asking the viewer, “What if discrimination happened to conservatives?” and insisting that all religions matter.
The family at the center of the film makes for an odd bunch in Norway’s largely irreligious society.
The children don’t have cellphones and do nightly Bible study.
They recite scriptures while doing chores and speak casually about the consequences of sinning.
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