Hanna Bergholm
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Hanna Bergholm is a Finnish film director and screenwriter best known for her debut feature film Hatching, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in the Midnight section.[2]
Early life and education
Bergholm grew up in a family involved in filmmaking and developed an interest in cinema at an early age. She later graduated from the Film Department of the University of Art and Design Helsinki.[1]
Career
Prior to directing her first feature film, Bergholm directed several short films, including Varjot and Gorilla, which received international recognition. She also directed the television drama series A Reetta ja Ronja. Her later short horror film Puppet Master screened at multiple international film festivals, including the Fantasia Film Festival, Fantastic Fest, and the Museum of Modern Art in New York.[3]
In 2022, Bergholm made her feature film debut with the psychological horror film Hatching, directed by Bergholm and written by Ilja Rautsi. The film centres on a young girl whose suppressed emotions manifest through a creature hatched from a mysterious egg, exploring themes of perfectionism, family dynamics, and maternal pressure. The project originated from a story concept by Rautsi, which Bergholm developed further, including changing the protagonist from a boy to a girl. Bergholm has stated that this decision was motivated by a desire to focus on underrepresented perspectives of girls and mothers in cinema.[4][5]
Hatching premiered internationally at the Sundance Film Festival. Prior to its Finnish theatrical release in March 2022, the film secured distribution agreements in more than 40 countries, including the United States.[6]
In 2026, Bergholm directed her second feature film, Nightborn, a dark fable centred on motherhood. The film follows a woman who moves with her husband to her childhood home in a remote Finnish forest, where she begins to suspect that something is wrong with her newborn child. Nightborn stars Seidi Haarla and Rupert Grint, and premiered at the 76th Berlin International Film Festival.[7]
References
- ^ a b "Ohjaaja kyllästyi latteisiin naiskuviin ja teki kauhuelokuvan, jonka pääpahis on äiti – se on myyty jo yli 40 maahan". Yle Uutiset (in Finnish). 2021-10-10. Retrieved 2026-02-24.
- ^ "Interview: HATCHING Director Hanna Bergholm on Her Coming-of-Age Creature Feature". ScreenAnarchy. 2022-05-03. Retrieved 2026-02-24.
- ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (2022-02-22). "CAA Signs 'Hatching' Filmmaker Hanna Bergholm". Deadline. Retrieved 2026-02-24.
- ^ "'People don't want to deal with things that are happening right in front of them': the horror of Hatching". The Guardian. 2022-09-01. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2026-02-24.
- ^ Mitchell, Wendy. "Hanna Bergholm on why her Sundance genre film 'Hatching' is really a mother-daughter drama". Screen. Retrieved 2026-02-24.
- ^ "Pahanhautoja on karkkivärinen kauhuelokuva täydellisyyden tavoittelusta – amerikkalaisrahoittajat epäilivät suotta suomen kieltä". Yle Uutiset (in Finnish). 2022-03-04. Retrieved 2026-02-24.
- ^ Ntim, Zac (2026-02-14). "'Nightborn:' Rupert Grint Stars In Berlinale Horror Title From Finnish Filmmaker Hanna Bergholm — Clip". Deadline. Retrieved 2026-02-24.