‘Hatching’ Trailer: Maternal Instinct Goes Grotesque In New Finnish Horror Film At Sundance

As horror fans already know, body horror is a niche yet versatile sub-genre, with David Cronenberg as its patron saint. Still, there’s plenty of room for things other than the new flesh, like 2007’s “Teeth,” last year’s Palme d’Or winner “Titane,” or 1989’s “Society.”

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A new offering from Finland premieres at Sundance later this month: “Hatching.” So: what’s this film’s take on body horror? There’s a doppelganger element, as well as an avian one and a skewering takedown of familial narcissism. That sounds like a promising entry into Sundance’s Midnight section!

Here’s the film’s official synopsis:

In HATCHING, 12-year-old gymnast, Tinja is desperate to please her image-obsessed mother, whose popular blog ‘Lovely Everyday Life’ presents their family’s idyllic existence as manicured suburban perfection. One day, after finding a wounded bird in the woods, Tinja brings its strange egg home, nestles it in her bed, and nurtures it until it hatches. The creature that emerges becomes her closest friend and a living nightmare, plunging Tinja beneath the impeccable veneer into a twisted reality that her mother refuses to see. 

Hanna Bergholm directs “Hatching,” her feature film debut.  Ilja Rausti pens the film’s script.  Jani Volanen, Reino Nordin, Siiri Solalinna, Saija Lentonen, and Sophia Heikkilä are the film’s main cast.

“Hatching” premieres at Sundance virtually on January 22 as part of the festival’s Midnight section. After that, it opens in theaters and streaming/VOD on April 29. Check out the trailer below.