As in Heaven (2021 film)

As in Heaven
Directed byTea Lindeburg
Written byTea Lindeburg
StarringFlora Ofelia Hofmann Lindahl
CinematographyMarcel Zyskind
Release date
  • 11 September 2021 (2021-09-11) (TIFF)
Running time
86 min
CountryDenmark
LanguageDanish

As in Heaven (Danish: Du som er i himlen) is a 2021 Danish drama film written and directed by Tea Lindeburg.[1][2]

Plot

Set on a rural Danish farm at the turn of the 20th century, the film follows Lise, a teenage girl whose mother goes through a prolonged and life‑threatening childbirth.[3] Over the course of a single day, Lise confronts fear, faith, and the expectations placed upon her as the eldest daughter. The narrative blends realism with dreamlike imagery to reflect her emotional turmoil.

Production

The film is adapted from Marie Bregendahl's 1912 novel En dødsnat. Lindeburg sought to reinterpret the novel through a contemporary cinematic lens, emphasizing subjective experience and the psychological intensity of a single transformative day.[1]

Release

As in Heaven premiered at the 2021 Toronto International Film Festival in the Contemporary World Cinema section.[4]

Reception

The film received widespread critical acclaim.Variety praised its “striking visual language and emotional precision.”[1] The Guardian highlighted Lindahl's performance as “quietly extraordinary.”[3]

Awards

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Keslassy, Elsa (9 September 2021). "Tea Lindeburg's 'As in Heaven' Bows at Toronto, Heads to San Sebastian". Variety. Retrieved 7 February 2026.
  2. ^ Ide, Wendy (17 September 2021). "Danish director Tea Lindeburg on her unflinching San Sebastian competition title 'As In Heaven'". Screen Daily. Retrieved 7 February 2026.
  3. ^ a b Bradshaw, Peter (12 September 2021). "As in Heaven review – a girl's world collapses in gripping Danish period drama". The Guardian. Retrieved 7 February 2026.
  4. ^ "'As in Heaven' selected for Toronto". Danish Film Institute. Danish Film Institute. 24 August 2021. Retrieved 7 February 2026.