Synopsis
Margit and her older sister Katla flee for safety after their mother is burned to death for witchcraft. Finding shelter with Johan and his resentful young son, Jonas, the sisters help form an impromptu family unit that’s soon strained by Katla’s burgeoning sorcery.
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Cast
- BjörkMargit
- Bryndis Petra BragadóttirKatla
- Valdimar Örn FlygenringJohann
- Guðrún GísladóttirMother
- Geirlaug Sunna ÞormarJónas
Recommendations
- 92
Paste Magazine
With The Juniper Tree, [Keene] left behind an impeccable piece of cinema history as her legacy, waiting to be discovered by audiences denied the chance to experience it themselves. - 90
The New York Times
In watching a newly restored version, I was struck not only by Björk’s distinctive charisma at 24 years old but also by the talent of the film’s writer, director and editor, Nietzchka Keene. - 90
The New Yorker
Keene films the supernatural tale of timeless rusticity with fanatical attention to the barren and craggy seaside setting; her stunningly spare yet phantasmagorical images fuse the forces of nature with the spirit of mystery. Björk brings an otherworldly calm to her visionary role, and occasionally sings. - 83
IndieWire
A film that’s dark and delightful and ripe for rediscovery. - 80
Los Angeles Times
Keene made only a couple of films in her abbreviated life, but The Juniper Tree is absorbing enough to make one rue there weren’t more. - 75
Slant Magazine
The Juniper Tree’s peculiar pedigree as an American indie fueled by European arthouse tropes and constructed with a flair for the avant-garde and the handmade marks it as a welcome rediscovery.
