Norway’s official Oscar entry for Best Foreign Language Film this year is an unusual one: THELMA, a supernatural thriller about a young woman discovering powers she never knew she had. I was lucky enough to get a look at the film early, and while I can’t say too much about it yet, I will simply urge you to keep an eye on this title when it’s released in a couple of months, if for no other reason than to see the powerhouse performance of its star, Eili Harboe.
Today, US distributor The Orchard has released a brand new trailer for the film, which you can find below. It does a very adequate job of showing just enough while protecting the story’s many secrets.
The synopsis:
Thelma, a shy young student, has just left her religious family in a small town on the west coast of Norway to study at a university in Oslo. While at the library one day, she experiences a violent, unexpected seizure. Soon after, she finds herself intensely drawn toward Anja, a beautiful young student who reciprocates Thelma’s powerful attraction. As the semester continues, Thelma becomes increasingly overwhelmed by her intense feelings for Anja – feelings she doesn’t dare acknowledge, even to herself – while at the same time experiencing even more extreme seizures. As it becomes clearer that the seizures are a symptom of inexplicable, often dangerous, supernatural abilities, Thelma is confronted with tragic secrets of her past, and the terrifying implications of her powers.
Directed by Joachim Trier (LOUDER THAN BOMBS), THELMA will have its world premiere at Toronto International Film Festival, with its US premiere at Fantastic Fest followed by an appearance at the New York Film Festival. The Orchard will release it in the US on November 10th.