New Nordic Cinema at Scandinavia House returns in a virtual format! Celebrate contemporary Nordic filmmaking with us from home by catching some of the best new films in weekend sessions of contemporary feature films and documentaries. The seventh session of the series from March 26 – April 1 features the film Beware of Children/ Barn (Norway, 2019; dir. Dag Johan Haugerud).

Beware of Children traces the dramatic aftermath of a tragic event in a middle class suburb of Oslo. During a soccer game at school, 13 year-old Lykke, the daughter of a prominent Labour Party member, seriously injures her friend and 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 accident or was it intentional? And did the adults to do the right thing? As the children’s parents and educators confront the consequences — including Liv, the school’s principal and secret lover of Jamie’s father, and her brother Anders, a teacher at the school who stepped away from the game at the critical moment — questions of grief, guilt, and communication unsettle a community in distress, with a myriad of different thoughts and dilemmas. In this ambitious and thoughtful film, director Dag Johan Haugerud explores the relationship between children and adults, asking pressing questions about caretaking and obligation. Is it really possible to always act in the best interests of a child? And to what degree should we protect them?

“More than most films, Beware of Children knows that contradictions are part of human nature”—The Hollywood Reporter. Winner of the Nordic Council Film Prize 2020; Dragon Award/Best Nordic Film, Gotebörg Film Festival; Kanon Awards, Best Direction/Script/Actor/Editing, Kosmorama Film Festival; Amanda Awards (multiple). (157 min. In Norwegian with English subtitles.)

Festival films will be available to ticket holders all over the U.S. Each session is limited to 250 tickets in an effort to preserve the intimate and communal experience. The sessions will take place over seven days (Friday — Thursday), with all films available for viewing on a virtual cinema screening platform throughout this period. To download viewing instructions and an FAQ, please click here.

About the Director

Dag Johan Haugerud (born 1964) is an accomplished author, screenwriter, and director. He trained as a librarian and then graduated with a degree in film studies from Stockholm University. He studied dramaturgy at the University of Oslo and creative writing at Telemark University College. Haugerud made his directing debut with the short 16 Living Clichés (1998). His first feature-length film, I Belong (2012), won four Norwegian Amanda awards and was nominated for the 2013 Nordic Council Film Prize. His following film, I’m the One You Want – a 53-minute monologue – was released in cinemas in 2014.

Beware of Children had its world premiere at Venice Days 2019. The film subsequently won the Critic’s Award at the Thessaloniki Film Festival and the Dragon Award Best Nordic Film at the Göteborg Film Festival. His following film, The Light from The Chocolate Factory, had its world premiere at the Tromsø International Film Festival 2020 and was also screened in Gothenburg.

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