Coming of Age, the Nordic Edition
With a new school year well under way, our thoughts turn to other rituals of youth. Here are some of our favorite coming of age films, in this case from the Nordics. From befriending vampires, to forming a punk rock band, these young people in Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Finland seek to find their way in life.
Girl Picture
(Tytöt tytöt tytöt)
Three teenage girls experience love and pleasure during the intense Finland winter.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Finland • 2022
- Director Alli Haapasalo
- Cast Linnea Leino, Aamu Milonoff, Eleonoora Kauhanen, Bruno Baer, Amos Brotherus, Oona Airola
- Genre Drama, Romance
- Available on Strand Releasing Amazon Channel, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, YouTube
Compartment No. 6
(Hytti Nro 6)
On a long train ride, a Finnish student forms an unexpected bond with a Russian miner.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Finland, Russia, Estonia • 2021
- Director Juho Kuosmanen
- Cast Seidi Haarla, Yuriy Borisov, Dinara Drukarova, Yuliya Aug, Lidiya Kostina, Tomi Alatalo
- Genre Drama
- Available on Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, YouTube, Spectrum On Demand
The Worst Person in the World
(Verdens Verste Menneske)
Julie must navigate the troubled waters of her romantic life while struggling to find her career path in contemporary Oslo.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Norway • 2021
- Director Joachim Trier
- Cast Renate Reinsve, Anders Danielsen Lie, Herbert Nordrum, Hans Olav Brenner, Helene Bjørnebye, Vidar Sandem
- Genre Comedy, Drama, Romance
- Available on Hulu, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store, YouTube, Kanopy
Amateurs
(Amatörer)
Will these two highschoolers beat the commerical filmmaker?
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- Sweden • 2018
- Director Gabriela Pichler
- Cast Zahraa Aldoujaili, Yara Aliadotter, Fredrik Dahl, Janine Splettstößer, Shada Ismaeel
- Genre Comedy
- Available on Apple TV, Amazon Video
Becoming Astrid
(Unga Astrid)
Be the author of your own story.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Sweden, Denmark • 2018
- Director Pernille Fischer Christensen
- Cast Alba August, Maria Bonnevie, Trine Dyrholm, Henrik Rafaelsen, Magnus Krepper, Björn Gustafsson
- Genre Drama
- Available on Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, YouTube, Tubi TV, VUDU Free, Freevee, Kanopy, Hoopla, Plex, Plex Channel
Utøya: July 22
(Utøya 22. juli)
The day that changed us forever
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Norway • 2018
- Director Erik Poppe
- Cast Andrea Berntzen, Aleksander Holmen, Brede Fristad, Elli Rhiannon Müller Osbourne, Sorosh Sadat, Ada Eide
- Genre Drama
- Available on No streaming locations found.
What Will People Say
(Hva vil folk si)
Sent to a country she's never known… She must risk everything to break free.
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- Norway, Germany, Sweden • 2017
- Director Iram Haq
- Cast Maria Mozhdah, Adil Hussain, Ekavali Khanna, Rohit Saraf, Ali Arfan, Sheeba Chaddha
- Genre Drama
- Available on Kino Film Collection, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Amazon Video, YouTube, Kanopy
Heartstone
(Hjartasteinn)
Teenage boys Thor and Christian experience a turbulent summer as one tries to win the heart of a girl while the other discovers new feelings toward his best friend.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Iceland, Denmark • 2016
- Director Guðmundur Arnar Guðmundsson
- Cast Baldur Einarsson, Blær Hinriksson, Diljá Valsdóttir, Katla Njálsdóttir, Søren Malling
- Genre Romance, Drama
- Available on Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, Tubi TV, The Roku Channel, VUDU Free, Filmzie, Cineverse, Kanopy, Plex, Plex Channel, Darkroom
Sami Blood
(Sameblod)
Elle Marja, 14, is a reindeer-breeding Sami girl dreaming of another life.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Norway, Denmark, Sweden • 2016
- Director Amanda Kernell
- Cast Lene Cecilia Sparrok, Mia Sparrok, Maj-Doris Rimpi, Julius Fleischanderl, Olle Sarri
- Genre Drama
- Available on Peacock Premium, Peacock Premium Plus, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, YouTube, VUDU Free, Kanopy, Hoopla, Darkroom
Metalhead
(Málmhaus)
Grieving, Hera finds solace in the dark music of Heavy Metal and dreams of one day becoming a rock star.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Iceland • 2013
- Director Ragnar Bragason
- Cast Þorbjörg Helga Þorgilsdóttir, Ingvar E. Sigurðsson, Þröstur Leó Gunnarsson, Sveinn Ólafur Gunnarsson, Halldóra Geirharðsdóttir, Sigrún Edda Björnsdóttir
- Genre Drama, Music
- Available on History Vault, Kanopy
We Are the Best!
(Vi är bäst!)
Three girls in 1980s Stockholm decide to form a punk band.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Sweden, Denmark • 2013
- Director Lukas Moodysson
- Cast Mira Barkhammar, Mira Grosin, Liv LeMoyne, David Dencik, Johan Liljemark, Mattias Wiberg
- Genre Drama, Music
- Available on Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, YouTube, FlixFling, Spectrum On Demand, Tubi TV, The Roku Channel, Pluto TV, VUDU Free, Freevee, DistroTV, Kanopy, Hoopla, Plex, Plex Channel
Let the Right One In
(Låt den rätte komma in)
Oskar's new neighbor has been 12 years old for 200 years...and she's looking for a friend.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Sweden • 2008
- Director Tomas Alfredson
- Cast Kåre Hedebrant, Lina Leandersson, Per Ragnar, Henrik Dahl, Karin Bergquist, Peter Carlberg
- Genre Horror, Drama
- Available on Amazon Prime Video, fuboTV, Peacock Premium, Peacock Premium Plus, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store, YouTube, FlixFling, Tubi TV, The Roku Channel, Pluto TV, VUDU Free, DistroTV, Kanopy, Hoopla, Plex, Plex Channel