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Kernell's New Film: Survival Beyond Trauma
26 Aug
Summary
- Film follows Ejva inheriting reindeer herd after father's death.
- Ejva faces challenges protecting herd and falling for cousin.
- Director Kernell focused on liberation rather than a curse.
Director Amanda Kernell's upcoming third feature, "Brace Your Heart," will premiere at Toronto and San Sebastián. The film explores the journey of Ejva, a young woman who inherits her father's reindeer herd after his sudden death. Ejva must quickly grow up, with only the local leader Heaika offering assistance, though his help comes with expectations and disapproval of her budding romance with his cousin.
Kernell, known for "Sámi Blood" and "Charter," also wrote the script, initially titled "The Curse: A Love Story." She explained that her interest shifted from a "curse of silence" to "liberation," focusing on the strength found in survival. The film's title, "Brace Your Heart," is a Sámi saying about hardening oneself to endure hardship and trauma, though Kernell notes it is not the path to love.
Elli Sara Valkeapää stars as Ejva, alongside Andte Gaup-Juuso and Vincent Niia. Kernell adapted the film during casting when she discovered Valkeapää spoke a different Sámi language than originally intended. The production emphasizes themes of resilience and responsibility, inspired by the strong women Kernell observed in her childhood.
