Cristian Mungiu’s ‘Fjord’ Earns Strong Reception at Cannes Premiere

Cannes: Cristian Mungiu’s latest film Fjord drew a strong response at its Cannes Film Festival premiere on Monday, May 18. The film’s intense look at family, faith and state intervention resonated with the audience.

Sebastian Stan and Renate Reinsve star as members of the Gheorghiu family, a Romanian-Norwegian household trying to rebuild their lives in a remote Norwegian village. In Fjord, the couple’s attempt to settle into the community is upended when authorities investigate allegations of abuse. The inquiry leads to the removal of their children from their custody.

Mungiu, known for his unsparing explorations of social and moral dilemmas, uses the premise to examine cultural clashes and the power of institutions over family life.