Our September winner is very well aligned with the first month of autumn: it’s a quiet, introspective meditation on loneliness and decisions. The credits include a name that is very familiar to us, as well as that of a fantastic young director, Nanna Isabella Hjorslev, with whom we had a chat about ‘A Life in the Shadows‘.
JL: What a fantastic film A Life in the Shadows is, Nanna! We loved it here at TMFF – how has the general reception been so far?
NIH: It has been really positive. We held our premiere at Scala Svendborg, which went very well, and just yesterday we attended SneakBar at Øst for Paradis in Aarhus. It’s still early in our festival journey, but we’re very grateful for the warm response so far.
JL: You mentioned that this story is quite personal for you – in what way?
NIH: The story reflects themes of loss and loneliness that are very close to me. I lost my grandmother on one side and grandfather on the other side of the family within a month of each other, and I’ve seen how my surviving grandfather has struggled with being the one left behind. That became a key emotional anchor for the film — about being the last one standing, learning to accept help, and daring to reconnect. On a personal level, I’ve also felt lonely after moving to a new city to pursue filmmaking, but I learned to open up and find new friendships — something that’s mirrored in Birgit’s story as well.
JL: The story is not only about Birgit’s memories resurfacing, but also the way in which the distant past can sometimes shape the present day and the future. How would you describe this dynamic?
NIH: I think our past lives in us in quiet, invisible ways. For Birgit, her memories resurface as both a haunting and a form of healing. It’s about how unresolved choices continue to echo in our present, but also how confronting them can create a kind of redemption. The past doesn’t disappear — it transforms, if we have the courage to face it.
JL: And staying on the topic of Birgit, which is the real Birgit: the one in the present time, or the one she could have been if other decisions were taken long ago?
NIH: believe the real Birgit exists somewhere between the two. Deep down, she’s still the 18-year-old girl who never dared to follow her heart, but she also embodies the woman who made peace with her choices. She became a priest — the path her parents wanted — yet inside, she carries the love and courage she once denied herself. The film asks whether we ever truly outgrow the person we could have been.
JL: What would you say is the main thematic or philosophical takeaway of A Life in the Shadows?
NIH: That it’s never too late to forgive yourself. Even when life feels defined by regret or loss, there’s still room for grace, love, and reconciliation. Shadows only exist because of light.
JL: We have long admired Jacob Thomas Pilgaard’s work here at TMFF, and both of you shared the win for Best Screenplay – congratulations! How has your collaboration been on writing the script?
NIH: Working with Jacob has been both moving and inspiring. He experienced a great personal loss himself — a close friend who took his own life — and the story grew out of a shared grief and a mutual wish to create something that felt emotionally true, wrapped in the tone of a haunting drama.
JL: Rikke Wolck was absolutely mesmerizing, showing such a spectrum of emotion and putting together an extremely layered performance. A well-deserved Best Actress win! Have either you or Thomas worked with her in the past?
NIH: We hadn’t worked with Rikke before, but we’ve followed her career closely. She’s an extraordinary actress, and of course, she’s well known in Denmark for her role in Matador, a beloved TV series. It was a privilege to have her bring such depth and nuance to Birgit’s character.=
JL: Any other projects you’re currently involved in or working on?
NIH: Yes! I’ll soon begin filming my next short, Babyshower, which I’m directing. It explores prenatal depression through the story of Alberte — a pregnant woman surprised with a baby shower, who slowly begins showing signs of depression during pregnancy. It’s a very personal and important project, written by someone who has experienced prenatal depression herself. The film also follows her friend Rebecca, who is struggling with infertility, creating a quiet dialogue between two women in very different emotional spaces. As a young woman myself, I find the themes of motherhood, fear, and expectation deeply resonant. We’ll be working with the same cinematographer as on A Life in the Shadows, which I’m very excited about.
JL: Thanks so much for your time, Nanna, it was a real pleasure. We’re looking forward to seeing more of your work in the future!
NIH: Thank you again for this opportunity — it means a lot.
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