Hatching (2022)

Director: Hanna Bergholm

Starring: Siiri Solalinna, Sophia Heikkilä, Jani Volanen

A young gymnast, who tries desperately to please her demanding mother, discovers a strange egg. She hides it and keeps it warm, but when it hatches, what emerges shocks them all.

According to Mother’s blog (no, she doesn’t have a name; simply Mother) they are the perfect example of a happy family. 13-year old Tinja is a gymnast practicing for her first Championship. Mother is happily married to Father (no, he also doesn’t have a name), and then there’s their young son Matias.

But behind the façade of happiness lies secrets. Mother is having an affair with Tero. She proclaims her love for him to Tinja as if making general conversation. Mother is a strong-willed, demanding person pushing Tinja to the limits in gymnastics.

Wandering into the woods upon hearing an injured crow squawking, she kills it when she notices it suffering. Finding the crows egg, she takes it home and nurtures it. Over the next few nights, the egg grows into a giant egg. When Tinja lies crying on the egg one night, her tears are absorbed into the egg. When it finally hatches, an ugly-looking creature emerges, looking like a bird but also with human-like features. Afraid of it at first, Tinja then cares for the creature in a motherly way.

As the creature grows, Tinja and Alli (as she named it) become linked until one can hardly tell the difference between them, apart from the fact Alli remains more creature in behaviour than human. ‘Hatching’ turned out to be one hell of a creepy film. The effects are astounding. And what an incredible performance by young Siiri Solalinna. She was remarkable.

The film builds to a climatic finale that will leave you cringe at the very idea of what might happen next.

In Finnish.

Would I watch it again? Yes.