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From 1952, Finnish cinematic work The White Reindeer stands as one of the remarkable forgotten masterpieces in the folk horror category. Despite the fact that it received prizes at the Cannes Film Festival and the Golden Globes back then, it was largely overlooked until a stunning 4K remaster started doing the rounds in 2017.

Located on the desolate, snow-covered mountains of Sápmi, the movie delivers an eerie, utterly ethereal macabre story. This territory is sometimes known as the Lapland region, though the local Sámi community view that term as derogatory.

The Eerie Introduction and Change

Through a haunting introduction, it is predicted that a newborn young Sámi female will transform into a witch. She matures into Piriti (played by Mirjami Kuosmanen), a spirited female who resents her solitary existence as the partner of a traveling reindeer keeper.

She attempts to find relief from a local medicine person, but possibly because of her inborn magic, his love ritual fails and turns her into a vampiric shapeshifter, doomed to hunt and consume human males in the guise of a white reindeer.

Production Style and Inspirations

The actress wrote the film with her husband, filmmaker and cinematographer Erik Blomberg. He merges impressive documentary footage of Sámi traditions on this lunar environment with powerful stylization that evokes silent-era expressionists like F.W. Murnau and Lang.

Recorded in grayscale and almost entirely on site in the wild, The White Reindeer opposes the glaring whiteout with pitch-black Gothic scenes, and moves between them via the liminal half-light of the northern sun.

Ambiguous and Surreal Story

While the story is straightforward and the action are plainly laid out, The White Reindeer continues to be open to interpretation and ethereal. It’s not clear exactly what time period it’s occurring.

The motivation of the characters’ behavior can be obscure, and the individuals appear cut adrift, isolated in the enormous open landscape of their setting. It’s also that uncommon type of horror film that keeps its focus firmly and compassionately on the creature as its main perspective.

Kuosmanen channels the silent film legends in a portrayal wracked with repressed desire and a intense hunger she cannot completely comprehend.

Enduring Influence

Despite its brief 68-minute long runtime, White Reindeer can appear deliberate, thanks to its restrained narrative approach. But the lead actress's vivid acting, the director's remarkable visuals, and the film's lingering symbolism for the way a repressive culture can demonize women's longing will stay in your mind for a extended period.