Midsommar (2019)
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An American couple travels to a remote Swedish commune for a midsummer festival, only to find themselves entangled in a disturbing and violent cult.
The story
Following the traumatic death of her family, a young woman named Dani travels to a rural Swedish commune with her boyfriend, Christian, and his friends. They are invited to attend a midsummer festival at the Hårga, a community that holds a significant ceremony every 90 years. While the group explores the local traditions and experiences the atmosphere of the remote location, the boundaries between their reality and the cult's rituals begin to blur. Amidst the tension of a deteriorating relationship, the group must navigate the strange customs of the commune, where the line between tradition and danger becomes increasingly thin.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
After her sister's murder-suicide, Dani's relationship with Christian is strained. They travel to the Hårga commune in Sweden for a midsummer festival. The group meets other visitors and experiences various rituals, including an ättestupa ceremony and the consumption of psychedelic mushrooms. As the festival progresses, the group is subjected to increasingly bizarre and dangerous traditions. Christian and his friends are separated or targeted by the commune members. Dani is crowned May Queen and participates in a ritual involving a hallucinogenic tea. The film culminates in a series of human sacrifices intended to 'purge' the commune. Dani is forced to choose between Christian and a member as the final sacrifice; she chooses Christian, who is placed in a burning temple. As the temple collapses, Dani is seen smiling.
- First release year
- 2019
- Runtime (minutes)
- 141
- Production countries
- United States; Sweden
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Ari Aster
- Writers
- Ari Aster · writer
- Cast and characters
- Florence Pugh · Dani; Jack Reynor · Christian; William Jackson Harper; Vilhelm Blomgren; Ellora Torchia; Archie Madekwe; Will Poulter
- Genres
- folk horror
- Themes
- grief; betrayal; breakups; toxic masculinity; ritual; identity
- Tone and mood
- unsettling; atmospheric; hallucinatory
- Setting
- A rural commune in the Hälsingland region of Sweden during a midsummer festival.
- Premise and plot tags
- folk horror; cult; breakup movie
- Content notes
- graphic nudity
- Reception
- The film received positive reviews, particularly praising the direction and lead performances, though it was noted as polarizing among some audiences.
- Production trivia
- The film was primarily shot in the Budapest metropolitan area of Hungary.; The production designer used antique linen from Hungary and Romania for costumes.; The prop mallet used for the senicide scene was a replica of one at a museum in Stockholm.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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