Hanna Bergholm’s Nightborn: Exploring Difficult Emotions in Horror

February 15, 2026 Julia Evans – Entertainment Editor Entertainment

Hanna Bergholm’s English-language debut, Nightborn, premiered at the 76th Berlin International Film Festival on February 14, 2026, entering the competition for the Golden Bear. The film, originally titled Yön Lapsi in Finnish, stars Seidi Haarla and Rupert Grint as new parents confronting a terrifying reality in the Finnish forest.

The film centers on Saga, played by Haarla, and Jon, portrayed by Grint, who relocate to Saga’s ancestral home with plans to renovate the property and start a family. According to reviews, the couple’s hopes are quickly overshadowed by the birth of a monstrous child, testing the limits of their relationship and sanity. The Guardian described the film as a “scary movie about a monstrous newborn” and noted the “paganism is cliched.”

Nightborn is a co-production between Finnish company Elokuvayhtiö Komeetta, Getaway Films, and Filmai, with production taking place in Lithuania over forty-five days, concluding in December 2024. The project received significant financial backing, including a €475,000 production grant from Eurimages in November 2023, a €950,000 grant from the Finnish Film Foundation in April 2024, and €75,000 from the Lithuanian Film Centre in July 2024. The UK Global Screen Fund also contributed to the film’s financing in January 2024.

Bergholm, known for her 2022 film Hatching, continues to explore themes of family dysfunction and the darker aspects of parenthood in Nightborn. The Hollywood Reporter noted the film’s similarities to Hatching, describing both as focusing on “a couple in the aftermath of their child’s birth” and utilizing “body horror” to explore complex themes. However, reviewers suggest Nightborn lacks the originality and psychological depth of its predecessor.

The cast also includes Pamela Tola, Pirkko Saisio, Rebecca Lacey, and John Thomson. Goodfellas and Anonymous Content acquired the film’s international sales rights in October 2024. As of February 15, 2026, the outcome of the Golden Bear competition remains pending.