On April 7, 'The Grate' is released, a Scandinavian horror on the theme of puberty and the conflict between mothers and daughters, taking a bizarre and metaphorical but very understandable form.

Cinema is an amazing thing. It can dissect the same topic in completely different ways. And the new Scandinavian horror 'The Grate' (Pahanhautoja) proves this, essentially echoing the recent children's cartoon , but choosing more radical tools to show that you can and should talk to your teenage children.

Nadezhda Vasilyeva

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The Perfect Family... or Not

At the center of the story is a seemingly exemplary family, whose well-being is most worried about by the mother-blogger (Sofia Heikkilä). She broadcasts to the whole world what a wonderful home they have, what impeccable children — well-mannered Matias (Oiva Ollila) and talented 12-year-old Tinja (Siiri Solalinna), who does gymnastics, what harmonious relationships they have. In short, a miracle, not a family!

But behind this fake screen of perfection hides many conflicts, the catalyst for which is the egg found by Tinja. The girl decides to take the forest find home, without thinking about what it might lead to.

Straightforward but Working Metaphor

'The Grate' is positioned as a body horror. And there are plenty of creepy bodily transformations in it, and director Hanna Bergholm is not shy even about the most unsightly details and close-ups. This is not glossy Hollywood.

At the same time, the film goes far beyond the usual horror movie built on spectacular visual intimidation of the viewer. Behind a ton of vomit, decapitated dogs, and damaged limbs lies a simple and understandable story of a teenager going through puberty. Yes, in an unexpected metaphorical form, but still.

The girl becomes a woman through attempts to please her latent tyrant mother, awareness of her own strength, and acquaintance with new features of her body, but more importantly — through acceptance of the maturing inner 'self'.

'The Grate' serves as a reminder to parents who would not want their child to become a real monster. The film reminds that any relationship between people should be built on dialogue, not submission. And once again clearly confirms that attempts to do everything your own way, without considering the opinions of others (especially family), rarely lead to good.

A Pinch of Scandinavian Spirit

The word 'Scandinavian' is mentioned more than once in the text, and it's not just because 'The Grate' is a product of joint Finnish-Swedish cinema, but because of the spirit and atmosphere observed in the film. There are minimal bright emotional scenes here, but the external cold does not negate the suspense felt through the screen.

Scandinavia manifests itself in everything: from the perfectly calibrated picture (it's no coincidence that IKEA inevitably appears in synopses and reviews) to the measured performance of the leading acting duo Heikkilä-Solalinna, who perfectly play out the mother-daughter conflict. And this additional color adds bonuses to the atmosphere of an already atmospheric horror.

Is It Worth Watching the Film 'The Grate'?

Hanna Bergholm's debut work managed to make a splash at the Sundance Festival, even earning comparisons to Yorgos Lanthimos. And this is fair — this largely quirky film not only fulfills the entertainment function of the genre but also goes beyond its boundaries, telling a story familiar to many viewers and prompting a rethinking of some life values.

'The Grate' may scare off some viewers due to the naturalness of some creepy episodes and the repulsive animatronic creature 'from the egg', but if you look beyond that, you can glean a lot of interesting things.

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