01/08/2025 - The Norwegian psychological horror drama centres on three sisters facing buried trauma and an unexpected visitor at a remote family retreat

Norwegian director Patrik Syversen is in the final stages of post-production on his latest feature, Dawning (Demring), a psychological horror drama that has already attracted international attention thanks to the involvement of Elijah Wood and his US-based production outfit SpectreVision.

The story centres on three sisters who withdraw to their family’s secluded holiday home in an attempt to process a recent traumatic event. When the two eldest learn that their estranged mother has passed away, they choose to shield their youngest sibling from the news, fearing it will shatter her fragile state. As unspoken tensions simmer and long-buried secrets rise to the surface, their uneasy reunion is interrupted by the sudden arrival of an unexpected visitor.

The cast is led by Kathrine Thorborg Johansen (Power Play [+see also:
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Written and directed by Syversen, Dawning marks the director’s return to theatrical filmmaking following the fantasy adventure Dragonheart: Battle for the Heartfire. His last Norwegian cinema release was Demon Box in 2017. Syversen previously made his mark with the cult survival horror Manhunt, with the indie drama Afterparty [+see also:
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film profile] and, more recently, with the crime thriller series Kieler Street. He describes Dawning as his “most personal work to date,” noting that while the story is fictional, its themes of family dynamics and unspoken trauma resonate deeply with him. The film’s black-and-white cinematography comes courtesy of Andreas Johannessen, who also serves as one of the producers.

Founded in 2010, Los Angeles-based SpectreVision has championed acclaimed genre titles including Panos Cosmatos’ Mandy [+see also:
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film profile] by Bryn Chainey, which is similarly co-produced by SpectreVision.

Dawning is produced by Kristin Emblem for Einar Film, alongside Syversen and Johannessen for their newly established company Planete Sauvage. The film is backed by the Norwegian Film Institute, while Norsk Filmdistribusjon will release the title theatrically in Norway on 3 October, with international sales expected to be announced later this year.