Fjord Review: Sebastian Stan & Renate Reinsve’s Superb Drama Tests Friendship & Faith [Cannes]

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Cristian Mungiu’s newest film is a sharp look at how politics and religion can get in the way of genuine connection. Premiering at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival, this sixth feature from the Romanian director continues his exploration of European culture and faith, while also delving into the complexities of family disputes. Overall, it’s a remarkably well-made film that fits perfectly with his previous work.

The film centers on Mihai and Lisbet, a Romanian-Norwegian couple starting a new life with their five children in a quiet Norwegian village. Their preteen sons, Elia and Emmanuel, become fascinated with their neighbor, Noora. This connection, however, threatens to disrupt the family’s disciplined and religious lifestyle.

This town is a close-knit community where everyone knows each other. The local school principal, Mats (Markus Scarth Tønseth), is also the stepfather of Noora, a bit of a rule-breaker. His neighbors, the Gheorghius family, notice he’s a lenient parent – a stark contrast to their own strict beliefs about discipline. Despite their differing views, everyone gets along surprisingly well, becoming deeply involved in each other’s lives.

Everything seemed fine until Elia arrived at school with visible bruises. This happened shortly after Mihai decided to exclude them from Noora’s birthday party because of a minor misbehavior. Once school officials noticed the bruises, they contacted the Norwegian Child Protective Services, who began an investigation. This event sparks a compelling exploration by Mungiu into how religious beliefs impact child welfare, and what constitutes freedom in diverse cultures.

Fjord’s Incisive Look At Cultural Differences Will Make You Squirm

The film Fjord is likely to spark debate among friends with different beliefs. What’s remarkable is that the director doesn’t push a particular viewpoint, instead presenting both sides of the central conflict as reasonable. The movie explores tricky questions about parental rights and cultural influence – how much control should parents have over their children’s lives, and who decides what’s best? While these questions aren’t definitively answered, they form the core of the film’s story.

What’s striking about this situation is how quickly it can make people dislike anyone involved. It’s easy to disagree with Mihai’s perspective – he claims a light tap on the bottom is acceptable discipline for his children. The bigger issue is who gets to voice their opinion and be heard. However, the actions of the protective services are harder to criticize. While they did immediately remove all five children from the Gheorghiu home, it’s difficult to argue against protecting children, even if the response seems extreme.

Mungiu doesn’t take sides in the film; thankfully, I think that’s a good approach. He presents all viewpoints through his characters and a subtle courtroom drama, letting the audience decide. While the film Fjord portrays Norwegian culture as friendly and free-spirited, it also shows that people don’t always live up to those ideals. This creates a fascinating, though sometimes uncomfortable, viewing experience as we watch characters not practice what they preach. It feels like everything is just a facade.

Despite the awkward and uncomfortable scenes, the film Fjord succeeds because of the dedicated performances of Stan and Reinsve, who effectively portray the script’s underlying tension. Stan delivers a stern and reserved performance, while Reinsve brings a sense of empathy and concern for her family and their difficult situation. You might not approve of what they do, but it’s hard to say if they’re truly responsible for the outcome, especially given their misplaced faith in others. It raises the question of whether genuine connection is possible with someone who holds dramatically different beliefs. I’d like to think it is, but director Mungiu shows that when it comes to children’s well-being, the lines aren’t so clear.

Fjord screened at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival.

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2026-05-19 13:28