I Am Dina

In Northern Norway during the 1860s, a little girl named Dina accidentally causes her mother's death. Overcome with grief, her father refuses to raise her, leaving her in the care of the household servants. Dina grows up wild and unmanageable, with her only friend being the stable boy, Tomas. She summons her mother's ghost and develops a strange fascination with death as well as a passion for living. Family friend Jacob encourages Dina's father to hire Lorch, a tutor who introduces her to the cello. When Dina is old enough, she marries Jacob and moves to Reinsnes, a port he runs with his mother, Karen, and his stepsons Niels and Anders. Niels doesn't like Dina's wild ways, or the fact that she has taken over accounting duties at Reinsnes. Dina's eccentric tendencies become even stronger, eventually leading Jacob into an accident of his own and bringing Tomas back into her life. Product Description

"Look At Me" ~ Fjords, Fatalities And The Dark Feminine

Released in '02 `I Am Dina' is a beautifully filmed Brontesque styled film that is so out of the norm it appears to have created a genre unique unto itself. The constant juxtaposition of the idyllic rural lifestyle of 19th century Northern Norway and the magnificent Norwegian vistas worthy of a National Geographic travelogue are indeed a striking contrast to the dark, supernaturally tinted, psycho-sexual drama that slowly unfolds before its stunned and unprepared audience. Accompanied by a superbly crafted script and superior performances all-around one is left to wonder why such a film has lanquished in obscurity for the past five years.

Maria Bonnevie delivers a haunting and unnerving performance in the role of Dina. Her tormented, otherworldly countenance is both frightening and beautiful and the camera makes good use of her features with continual close-ups of her expressive face. If there were ever a pair of eyes that could gase into a mans soul these are the ones. Other personal favorites in the film are; Soren Saetter-Lassen as Lorch, Mads Mikkelsen as Niels, Christopher Eccleston as Leo and of course the legendary Gerard Depardieu as Jacob.

If you're in the mood for something light and romantic watch something else, however if you're looking for something somber and brooding look no further.

My Rating: -4 ½ Stars-. September 30, 2007

Mesmerizing sound and scene

This is a haunting and engaging story about a young girl banished to a life of self torment, an only child denied the love of her father when she accidentally causes the death of her mother. The first moments of this film are riveting, soft and serene and then quickly blood curdling, as we see the young girl playing whimsically in the 1800s in mountainous Norway, only to accidentally drown her mother in a giant vat of boiling lye on the family's estate. This all happens in the first few moments of this film- it is explosive and mesmerizing, visually spectacular, highly disturbing and set against a soundtrack of enchanting music.

The tale follows the story of Dina, the tragedy that befalls her as a child and the life of disappointment and abandonment she subsequently is doomed to follow, a life spent yearning for the love of her father and discarding all other men as playtoys. We see Dina as a young girl, and then as a young woman. She scorns her femininity in much the same way she has been scorned for causing her mother's death and her life is one of betrayal, revenge, abandonment, and adultery. This is a film not of possibility but of mind numbing reality, the confused reality of a woman damaged to the core and her need to find a permanent love that will honor and obey, and validate her.

It is beautifully filmed and cleverly edited to create a visual journey as poignant and lingering as the sad and disturbing plight of Dina. This is definitely an interesting and unique film experience, perhaps at times more engrossing for the scenery, sound track and editing than for the story line. December 19, 2005

Great movie

This was a wonderfully directed movie, I don't know why it didn't do so well in the US. The actors did a splendid job, the music was great, and the plot was good. It would appeal to mostly women I think, as a dark drama from the iew-point of a woman. June 28, 2005

DINA SHINES

An epic in its own right, this movie is for those that like Babette's Feast, The Piano, My life as a Dog and other 'artsy' films. Set in a Norway that makes you want to grab the first flight out there, it's haunting story is of a cellist who lives life by her own rules from the age of 5. Not 'slow' like Babette's Feast, but with all the subtleties that we just don't get in most Hollywood movies. But not so intropective that you get lost on your own navel. Really a treat. The music, awesome, and the acting... well very good. To me, I put it up there with the likes of The English Patient, Frances, Indochine. You'll just have to get it and see for yourself. Honestly, it's one of those kind of movies ( I had the opportunity to see it in the theaters) that when it's done, you want more and you want to act on making your life more full. Cliché, but totaly carpe diem. Voila. March 19, 2005

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