Hanna Bergholm just made parenthood terrifying all over again, and this time, she brought Rupert Grint.
The Story
Nightborn is now streaming exclusively on Shudder. Directed by Bergholm and co-written with Ilja Rautsi, the film follows Saga (Seidi Haarla) and her British husband Jon (Rupert Grint). They move into her childhood home deep in a remote Finnish forest to start a family. The second their baby is born, Saga knows something is deeply wrong with her son. Jon tries to support her. Everyone else dismisses her fears as postpartum stress. Only Saga suspects the terrible truth about what she’s brought into the world.
The film draws from Finnish folklore, specifically tales of trolls in the woods exerting dark influences on newborns. It works as both a dark cultural fable and a visceral look at postpartum realities. This is not a demonic possession story. It’s something older, stranger, and far more unsettling.
The Team
Nightborn marks Bergholm’s English-language debut. It runs 92 minutes and is a co-production between Finland, Lithuania, France, and the United Kingdom. The cast includes Seidi Haarla, Rupert Grint, Pamela Tola, Pirkko Saisio, Rebecca Lacey, John Thomson, and Silvia Saloranta. Pietari Peltola serves as cinematographer, with a score by Eicca Toppinen.
The Creature Work
For the practical effects, Bergholm went to the very top. Animatronics designer Gustav Hoegen (Star Wars, Andor, Prometheus) and two-time Oscar-nominated SFX makeup designer Conor O’Sullivan (The Dark Knight, Game of Thrones) both worked on the film. If Hatching’s creature effects got under your skin, prepare accordingly.
The Festival Journey
Nightborn world-premiered in competition at the 76th Berlin International Film Festival on February 14, 2026. It then made its North American premiere at Fantasia on July 22. Shudder holds the rights for the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
HorrorFuel calls it an absolute must-watch, beautifully shot and emotionally bruising, with a final act that leaves you in shock. Furthermore, IndieWire praises the way Bergholm explores the gap between the expectations and realities of parenthood. Bergholm herself calls it “a film made for genre enthusiasts, parents, and anyone who has ever asked themselves: Why do I feel different?”
Nightborn is streaming on Shudder right now.
