Brace Your Heart

Brace Your Heart
International promotional poster
Northern SaamiGarrat du váimmu
Directed byAmanda Kernell
Screenplay byAmanda Kernell
Produced byEva Åkergren
Starring
  • Elli-Sara Valkeapää
  • Andte Gaup-Juuso
  • Vincent Niia
CinematographySophia Olsson
Edited byLinda Man
Music byRebekka Karijord
Production
companies
Distributed byNordisk Film Distribution
Release date
  • 15 September 2026 (2026-09-15) (TIFF)
Running time
97 minutes
Countries
  • Sweden
  • Norway
  • Denmark
  • Iceland
  • Bulgaria
Languages
Budget€5 million[1]

Brace Your Heart (Northern Sami: Garrat du váimmu) is an upcoming drama film written and directed by Amanda Kernell. An international co‑production, it's set in a remote Sámi village in the mountains of Sweden, and follows 20-year-old Ejva as she inherits her father's reindeer herd and fights to preserve the ancestral tradition entrusted to her.

The film will have its world premiere in the Platform section of the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival on 15 September 2026, where it will compete for the Platform Prize.[2]

Synopsis

Ejva, a 20-year-old living in a Sámi mountain village, inherits her father's reindeer herd. She tries hard to keep the animals healthy, and the local leader, Heaika, starts to fall in love with her. She isn’t sure she feels the same, but she feels pressured to agree. When Heaika’s cousin Nejla arrives, Ejva experiences real love for the first time. Heaika’s jealous response leaves her with shaking hands that threaten her work. Ejva must fight to regain her independence and shape her own future.

Cast

  • Elli-Sara Valkeapää as Ejva
  • Andte Gaup-Juuso as Heaika
  • Vincent Niia as Nejla

Production

Amanda Kernell in an interview to Variety revealed that she started the casting process to find the newcomers suitable for roles, four years ago. The film is Amanda Kernell's third film, after her 2017 debut film Sami Blood and her 2020 Swedish Oscar entry Charter. It began filming in February 2025 in Kiruna region, Northern Sweden.[3] Principal photography ended in June 2025.[4]

Release

Brace Your Heart is scheduled to have its world premiere in Platform Competition at the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival on 15 September 2026.[5][6]

The film is also selected at the 74th San Sebastián International Film Festival In competition section to be held in September 2026, where it will compete for Golden Shell.[7][8]

On 11 February 2026, Scandinavia’s sales agent TrustNordisk acquired worldwide rights to the film, ahead of the European Film Market in Berlin.[3]

Accolades

Award Date of ceremony Category Recipient(s) Result Ref.
Toronto International Film Festival 12 September 2026 Platform Prize Brace Your Heart Pending [9][10]
San Sebastián International Film Festival 26 September 2026 Golden Shell for Best Film Pending [11]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Brace Your Heart". TrustNordisk. 11 February 2025. Retrieved 23 July 2026.
  2. ↑ Ryan Lattanzio (21 July 2026). "TIFF Reveals Platform Lineup of 12 Films from the Next Generation of Auteurs". IndieWire. Retrieved 23 July 2026.
  3. 1 2 Annika Pham (11 February 2026). "TrustNordisk Boards 'Brace Your Heart' From 'Sámi Blood's' Amanda Kernell Ahead of European Film Market in Berlin (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 23 July 2026.
  4. ↑ Abbatescianni, Davide (26 June 2025). "Amanda Kernell wraps shooting on Sámi-set drama Brace Your Heart". Cineuropa. Retrieved 23 July 2026.
  5. ↑ "Brace Your Heart". Toronto International Film Festival. 21 July 2026. Retrieved 23 July 2026.
  6. ↑ Etan Vlessing (21 July 2026). "Toronto: Miwa Nishikawa's 'Children Untold' to Open Platform Competition". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 23 July 2026.
  7. ↑ Emiliano De, Pablos (14 August 2026). "San Sebastian Adds Jesse Eisenberg, Fred Cavayé, Amanda Kernell Films to Golden Shell Race". Variety. Retrieved 14 August 2026.
  8. ↑ "Brace Your Heart". San Sebastián International Film Festival. Retrieved 14 August 2026.
  9. ↑ Pond, Steve (21 July 2026). "TIFF Adds 12 Films to Compete for Oscars' International Spot". TheWrap. Retrieved 23 July 2026.
  10. ↑ Katz, David (22 July 2026). "Toronto announces its competitive Platform line-up". Cineuropa. Retrieved 23 July 2026.
  11. ↑ Clarke, Stewart (14 August 2026). "Jesse Eisenberg's 'The Debut' & Fred Cavayé's 'Les Misérables' Among Six New Titles In San Sebastián Official Selection". Deadline. Retrieved 14 August 2026.
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