EXCLUSIVE: Here’s your first look at The Hypnosis, the debut feature from Swedish filmmaker Ernst De Geer, starring Herbert Nordrum (The Worst Person in the World) and Asta August (The Kingdom).
The pic debuts in Competition at this year’s Karlovy Vary Film Festival, with Paris-based company Totem Films handling sales. Scandinavian Film Distribution is the local distributor.
Story follows André (Nordrum) and Vera (August), a young entrepreneurial couple who have been offered the opportunity to pitch their female health app at a prestigious competition. Before the presentation, Vera tries hypnotherapy to quit smoking. From this point, her attitude changes and André starts to behave unexpectedly.
Screenplay is by De Geer and Danish writer Mads Stegger (Nach) and was produced by Mimmi Spång of Garagefilm International in co-production with Film I Väst AB, Mer Film AS, and Totem Atelier. The pic received support from the Swedish Film Institute, Norwegian Film Institute, Nordisk Film & TV Fond, Film i Väst, SVT, NRK, and YLE. Additional credits include music by Peder Kjellsby (Barn), cinematography by Jonathan Bjerstedt, and Robert Krantz on editing.
Nordrum is best known for his breakout role in Joachim Trier’s 2021 Cannes winner, The Worst Person in the World, while August, daughter of double Palme d’Or Danish filmmaker Bille August, has credits on projects like Lars von Trier’s The Kingdom and Amalie Næsby Fick’s Sex.
The Hypnosis will mark De Geer’s feature film debut. A native Swede, he studied directing at the Norwegian Film School. His graduation film, the Culture (2018), won prizes at several festivals, including Palm Springs and Premiers Plans. The short was also nominated for a Norwegian National Film Award.
De Geer shaped the film at a series of international workshops, including Les Arcs Coproduction Village 2020, Discovery GIFF 2020, and Wild Card Swedish Film Institute.
Check out the full trailer above.
Karlovy Vary runs June 30 – July 8.
