Director Amanda Kernell’s BRACE YOUR HEART has just received a Special Jury Award at Toronto International Film Festival. The film, which world premiered earlier this week in the Platform programme at TIFF is recognized with the honorable mention by the Jury.
BRACE YOUR HEART is based on writer and director Kernell’s own original screenplay, where she returns to Northern Sweden with a story set in a remote Sámi community with reindeer herding at the heart of their nature and livelihood. The film follows a young woman torn between following her heart and navigating the expectations and traditions of her family, work, and culture.
“I didn’t expect this knowing how good the other films and directors are, but I’m immensely proud of everyone who made this film possible. Thank you to TIFF for inviting our film to the festival! It has been such a beautiful experience for both me and the cast to meet the audience at TIFF. People have cried and laughed, and it’s been very moving for me to see that themes of forgiveness, finding your own voice and giving a voice to people who don’t have one resonates with audiences and fellow filmmakers”, says director Amanda Kernell.
BRACE YOUR HEART celebrated its world premiere in the Platform program at TIFF earlier this week and is currently continuing its festival run in competition at San Sebastian Film Festival, which has just kicked off and where the film is celebrating its European premiere today.
Kernell first gained international recognition with the critically acclaimed SAMI BLOOD which premiered at the Venice Days section of Venice Film Festival in 2016, where she received the Fedeora Award for Best Director of a Debut Film. The film went on to become a festival favourite establishing Kernell as one of Scandinavia’s most promising emerging voices. Her second feature, CHARTER, world premiered at Sundance Film Festival and was selected as Sweden’s official entry for Academy Awards® in the Best International Feature Film category, confirming her reputation as a distinctive auteur with a unique cinematic vision. BRACE YOUR HEART is her third feature film.
Synopsis
In a remote Sámi village high in the mountains, 20-year-old Ejva inherits her late father's reindeer herd. As she struggles to keep the herd thriving, local leader Heaika develops romantic feelings for her, and though hesitant, she feels compelled to accept. But everything changes when Nejla, Heaika’s cousin, arrives, and Ejva discovers true love for the first time. Betrayed and jealous, Heaika reacts harshly, leaving Ejva with a condition that makes her hands shake uncontrollably, threatening her ability to care for the herd. Now, Ejva must find a way to reclaim control over her life and her future.
BRACE YOUR HEART is written and directed by Amanda Kernell and produced by Eva Åkergren for Nordisk Film Production. The film is coproduced with Forest People, Compass Films, Invictus, Nordisk Film Production Denmark, Filmpool Nord, SVT and Film i Väst and supported by The Swedish Film Institute, The Danish Film Institute, The International Sámi Film Institute, Nordisk Film & TV Fund, Bulgarian National Film Center, Icelandic Film Centre, Eurimages and Arktisk Film Norge. Local distribution by Nordisk Film. International sales is handled by TrustNordisk.