A newly-married woman becomes frustrated as her husband, a reindeer herder for an Arctic village, spends much of his time away. Desperate for affection, she visits a shaman who offers a potion that makes her irresistibly desirable, with unexpected and deadly results.
Cinematography
Breathtaking Finnish Lapland shot by director himself
Acting
Kuosmanen's feral, heartbreaking transformation
Practical Effects
Real reindeer, real snow, real shamanic rituals
Director
Erik Blomberg
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Blomberg filmed in actual Sámi territory with real herders, but critics note the film exoticizes indigenous culture while centering Finnish settlers.
Mirjami Kuosmanen and Erik Blomberg were married; she co-wrote the screenplay. The Cannes jury gave it a Special Jury Prize in 1953, then basically forgot Finnish cinema existed for decades.
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