[quiet piano music]
[pen drawing]
[Lene] Dad says that...
you're afraid to go to sleep.
[young Astrid] Yes.
[Lene] What do you see when you're sleeping?
[young Astrid] Scary things.
[Lene] Could you tell Mommy what kind of things you see?
[young Astrid] There's somebody down there.
Some kind of animal.
[Lene] Down where?
[young Astrid] In the cave.
They want to capture me
and lock me up like the others.
[Lene] Like who?
[young Astrid] Ida's classmates.
Did you see Ida down there?
Mm-mm.
But...
do you think she's down there?
Mm-hm.
Don't be afraid that there's something wrong with you.
It's just...
Dad doesn't understand these things.
But I'm here.
You can always talk to me.
Will you promise
to tell me about the things you see?
Mm-hm.
Will you sing me the song you always sang for Ida?
Okay.
But first close your eyes.
[Lene sings "My Bonnie Lies over the Ocean"]
♪ My Bonnie lies over ♪
♪ The ocean ♪
♪ My Bonnie ♪
-♪ Lies over the sea ♪ -[suspenseful music crescendos]
[voice echoes] ♪ My Bonnie ♪
♪ Lies over the ocean ♪
[monstrous breathing]
-♪ So bring back ♪ -[young Astrid] Mom.
-♪ My Bonnie ♪ -Mom.
-♪ To me ♪ -Mom.
[theme music]
[shelves rolling]
[Astrid] So you're familiar with the symbol?
Yes, that symbol has actually been
quite an obsession of mine as a historian.
We don't know that much, but um...
we do know something.
This is it, right?
[Astrid] Yes, it is.
Yeah. This one's only 300 years old,
but, um, our oldest finding is from a...
cave in southern France, and that one dates back 37,000 years.
Hm.
[historian] It's derived from an animistic cult...
-Mm-hm? -...that's existed for thousands of years.
Traces of this cult have been found all over Europe,
and it's clear that the one in Denmark was very special,
and, um... a central figure in that mythology is this guy.
The Lepusman, as he's called. The Hare King.
He was found on Enehøje island, close to Nakskov in 1953.
He's estimated to be about 14,000 years old.
-What's the meaning of the symbol? -It's the circle of life.
Let me draw it for you.
The circle of life.
Wheel of the year.
Here we've got spring equinox, summer solstice,
-autumn equinox, and winter solstice. -Hm.
These have always, at all times of human existence,
been cardinal points.
-Okay. -But the most important for this cult
was this equinox.
-Spring equinox? -Spring equinox.
On this day, they believed that the gate, uh,
to the other world was open,
and this was the time when gods could manifest
-and demand what was theirs. -Hm.
And all of this
is bound
together by the figure of...
Ostara.
-Ostara? -Yes.
The goddess who had to sacrifice herself
for life to be reborn.
Sacrifice herself as in dying?
Yeah, well, metaphorically. Uh...
-It had to happen over and over again... -Hm.
...year after year.
But, um... let me show you something.
Hm?
Open it.
These oval stones have been found on islands all over Europe,
also in Denmark.
They were all found along with bird skeletons.
Hm.
And what were the stones used for?
It is most likely connected to the equinox rituals.
A fertility ritual.
Children conceived on this night
were called children of the equinox,
and were thought to have special abilities.
We don't know exactly what went on,
but it was...
-probably quite intense. -Hm.
-And this cult, does it still exist? -No.
Or, well, yes, in the sense that different New Age cults have
-plucked what they could use... -Hm.
...but a cult living in godly worship as the original?
-No. -Hm.
-Thanks. Yeah. -I hope it was helpful.
Stay here and someone will come and collect the books when you're done.
Thank you.
[suspenseful music playing]
[phone beeps]
[Astrid] Do you remember who Ida's main teacher was?
[Dennis] No, not really.
[Astrid] You don't remember Henrik?
Henrik? No, I don't remember him.
You don't remember if he was a suspect, or...
Uh... He probably was. Everybody was a suspect at that time.
Take a look at this, Dad. Come here.
The driver that drove the student truck
-drew a symbol around him. -Okay.
-How come? -I don't know,
but he drew it right before he had a...
a seizure.
-A seizure? -Yeah.
Hm.
-Shouldn't you go get some more sleep? -He remembered Ida.
Are you taking your medicine?
We talked about Ida.
We talked about her.
-You're not well. Right? -You're not listening.
Yes, I am listening.
-No, you're not. -Well, I am.
At least Lene doesn't pretend that Ida never existed.
[Lene sobs]
Come on in, honey.
Come.
I don't want you to be sad, Mom.
It's hard.
It's very hard not to be sad.
Is there anything I can do for you?
[Lene sniffs]
Do you want to?
Mm-hm.
You want to help Mom?
Mm-hm.
[exhales]
[Lene] She's not feeling well.
[Dennis] That's what I'm saying. Something's wrong.
[Lene] The child shouldn't deal with that.
[Dennis] No, she shouldn't.
[Lene] We need to find someone to talk with her.
[Dennis] Yes. I actually found a few different child psychologists.
And there's one that's highly recommended.
[Lene laughs] Don't you worry about that, Dennis.
I took care of it.
-[Dennis] What? -[Lene] Yeah, Jutta's coming.
-[Dennis] Jutta who? -[Lene] Well, my Jutta.
[Dennis] You can't be serious. She's not a psychologist.
[Lene] She helped me.
[Dennis] Forget about it. I want a real psychologist.
A child psychologist.
[Lene] But Jutta's great with kids.
[Dennis] I don't want her going anywhere near Astrid!
[spray bottle squirting]
[Lene] Ah.
I've been expecting you, Astrid.
Sooner or later the past will come back to bite you if you shut it out.
I told Dennis back then.
I said, "You shouldn't-- you shouldn't hide it from her."
"You can't shield her from it."
But...
he doesn't work that way, does he?
No, he doesn't.
Do you remember Jakob Skipper?
Oh, yes.
Do you think he had something to do with it?
I knew what was going on.
He was so charming.
He knew exactly what to do.
Hm.
Took advantage of her.
What did he do?
Made my daughter unhappy.
[rock music playing over headphones]
How did you get in?
I walked in the door. Nobody saw me.
What's up? Are you coming or not?
-Now? -No, silly, on March 21st.
We're going to that island.
March 21st.
You came to ask if I wanna go on March 21st?
-Yeah. -Jakob, you're crazy.
-There's nothing out there. -We won't know that unless we go.
Lene'll never let me go.
-Should I go talk to your mom? -[laughs]
No, don't go talk to my mom.
I'm gonna go down and I'll talk to your mom
and we'll figure it out and we'll sort it out.
Jakob, don't go talk to my mom.
But It won't be the same without you.
-What are we gonna tell the others? -About what?
Hm. About us?
The truth.
-Which is? -That you can't stay away from me.
[laughs]
You idiot, you're the one that came here and kissed me.
Okay, if you say so.
[door closes]
-Astrid, get out. -What are you doing?
-Get out, Astrid. -No, come on.
Wanna see something cool? This here, right?
It's a magic coin.
Just watch this.
Now, put your hands out like mine.
Okay.
Wait. Can I see? What's that in your hand?
How did you do that?
[Ida laughs]
Now it's yours. You have to take good care of it.
Are you together?
No, Astrid, we're not together. Now get out.
Okay.
Are we not?
I don't know. Are we?
Kinda.
[Astrid] Do you know who this teacher is?
Yes, that's...
that's Henrik Malmstrøm.
He was nasty.
Why do you say that?
Jakob never acted on his own.
Henrik was the one.
He controlled everything.
Where did he go?
He ran off.
After they disappeared.
He just ran off.
[gentle music]
Shh.
She's on her way.
-Hi. -Hey. Are you ready?
Yeah.
-But I still don't know what we're doing. -Well, you'll find out.
-Hi. -Hey.
Hey, babe. You're finally here, huh?
[Ida] Yeah, 'cause I had to pack all the stuff.
Sure, there's a lot. Missing anything?
-[Ida] Nope, got everything. -[laughs] Holy fuck, you packed so much.
-[Jakob] Hey. -Hi.
You got the clothes?
Yeah, of course. It wasn't easy.
What's up with needing to wear natural fabrics?
[Jakob] I'm not the one who decides this stuff.
-It's in the book. -[mocks] It's in the book.
-[Falke] In the book. -Calm down. It's in the book.
-[Jakob] Is it cool if I drive? -[Falke] My mom will kill me.
She'll never find out.
-Just don't drive like a maniac. -I'll drive nicely.
[Amelia] It won't take two hours when Jakob's driving.
-[Jakob] You have to listen to this. -[Ida] Get in.
-Is that what you made? -Oh, yeah, you've heard it.
-[Amelia] I haven't. -No, you haven't?
-[Ida] It's cool. -[Amelia] How long to make? Ten minutes?
Shut up.
[Jakob's music plays over car stereo]
♪ Ostara ♪
Amelia!
-Ida! -Ida!
♪ Ostara ♪
[music stops]
[mysterious music]
[woman] Can I help you?
I'm looking for Henrik Malmstrøm.
-Does he live here? -Who are you?
Astrid Agerskov.
I'm a journalist, and I'm making a radio show
about the students that disappeared in '99.
-I'd really like to speak to him. -That's not possible.
-Does he live here? -He's not home.
-Then I'll wait. -That'd be a waste of your time.
-I need to talk to him. -Sorry you came here--
[Henrik] Lisa?
Lisa?
We've got company.
This is Astrid.
She'd like to talk to you.
[Henrik] Oh? About what?
Apparently, she's a journalist.
She wants to talk to you about what happened
to her class in '99.
Ida was my sister.
[Henrik] Yeah.
Okay.
Hello.
Henrik.
[Jakob] We'll start by putting these together.
[Falke] No, we need to lay them out here.
Like this. Help me. You're just standing there.
-But you've put all the stuff... -What's up? What's going on?
Are you and Jakob together now?
-I've been really wanting to tell you. -Yeah, but you didn't.
No, but it just happened so fast.
-[Jakob and Falke talk indistinctly] -Are you two going to Marrakesh now?
-Oh, come on. -Well, that could happen.
-No, it couldn't. Just drop it already. -Hm?
-Are you mad? -No, I'm not mad.
-Are you upset? -Why would I be upset?
I don't know.
If you liked Jakob or something like that.
What? Jakob? No.
He'll fuck anything with a pulse.
I'm sorry. Ida?
Ida, sorry. I don't mean it like that.
Just be careful not to be too naive.
It's Jakob for fuck's sake. You know him.
Exactly, I know him.
Yeah, then you know that he might not be the best person to fall in love with.
Come on. Come.
[Falke] Just concentrate.
[Astrid] How long have you lived here?
[Henrik] Since '99.
Why'd you run away?
-Run away? -Yeah, you ran when they disappeared.
Well, we didn't run away. We chose to move.
I just had to get away.
It may sound strange,
but that class meant a lot to me.
What about Jakob Skipper?
I've heard you were close to him.
Yeah, he was...
He was the one I knew best.
Could you hand me that towel?
Yeah.
So you had a close friendship with one of your students?
-How come? -Friendship? Well, yeah.
We talked a lot.
He asked for advice when he had problems.
Was he easy to control?
Control? What do you mean?
-Did you influence him? Hm. -Yeah, I sure as hell hope I did.
He... He was in bad shape at the time.
[sniffs] Really tried to test the limits.
Lisa and I wanted to help him, so we took him in.
Hoped we could make a difference.
If you were that close, why weren't you at his funeral?
-His funeral? -You do know that he's dead.
He killed himself.
No.
I didn't know.
It's been a long time since I had any contact with him.
Do you know this symbol?
It was on his gravestone. Apparently, it's an ancient pagan symbol.
No.
-Why was it drawn around me? -Yeah, that's a good question. Why was it?
It's the driver that drove the student truck who drew it.
Can you explain that?
So, that's why you're here.
-You think I had something to do with it. -Did you?
No.
Why would I do anything to hurt them?
I loved everything about those kids.
You've been deleted from all the archives at school.
-Deleted? -Can you explain that?
Huh? Is it because you don't want to be found?
Well, do you think I was hard to find?
Was it hard for you to find me?
What did you do?
What the hell are you talking about?
-What the hell did you do? -What...
What is it precisely you think I've done?
Is it strange that I wonder about why you,
being their main teacher, right before they disappeared...
What are you really accusing me of?
Don't you think it hurts when you come and ask these questions?
What the fuck are you accusing me of? Huh?
I don't...
It's... It's... I don't know.
I don't know. Sorry.
Don't apologize. I should apologize.
I have no right to get angry with you.
I understand how you're feeling.
I'm still struggling to understand it all.
[inhales]
Can I offer you a drink or something?
Okay.
[Falke] Let me have a sip.
-[Amelia] Know where we put it? -[Ida] In there somewhere.
Ah, got it.
[Jakob] Here.
-[Ida] Yeah. -[Falke] Was this the one from your house?
Hey, give it here.
[Jakob] What's up? Are you ready to hear your future?
-Mm-hm. -[Amelia] So ready. Let's do it.
In the Grimoire, there are six prophecies.
-[Amelia] Mm, so there is. -[Falke pats a drum roll]
[Jakob] Roll.
-No, I don't want to. -Come on. Roll.
But I don't feel like doing it.
[Amelia] It's bullshit anyway. I'll do it.
Okay.
Six.
You will lose.
Lose what?
You lost your virginity long ago.
[Amelia] Go fuck yourself!
-You're one to talk, you idiot. -Here, give it to me.
Okay.
Three.
You will suffer.
-[Falke] Suffer? -Too bad.
I don't wanna do that.
[Jakob] That's how it is. Grimoire has spoken.
Grimoire has spoken.
The question is if you really can suffer any more than you already are.
-Oh, fuck off. -Amelia!
-[Jakob laughs] -Falke, you totally can. Or...
[Amelia laughs]
-[Ida] Or you can't. -[Amelia] Hee hee. I'm kidding.
-[Ida] It's just a book. -[Amelia] I'm kidding.
Two.
I'll be punished.
-Enjoy. [laughs] -[Amelia laughs] Karma.
Burn.
Come on.
Your turn. We all did it.
-[Jakob] Do it. -[Amelia] Come on.
-[Ida] Okay. -[Amelia] Roll the die. It won't bite.
[Jakob] One.
You'll be sacrificed.
-[Falke] Oooh. -[Amelia] Sacrificed?
That sounds dangerous.
[Falke] Boo hoo.
That's ridiculous.
[Amelia] Why are the prophecies so depressing?
-I wanna reroll. -[Jakob] You can't.
-[Amelia] Come on. -[Falke] I wanna reroll too.
-[Amelia] Gimme the die. -[Jakob] No.
-[Amelia] Come on. -[Falke] What do you mean?
-It's not a problem. -The Grimoire has spoken.
[Falke] The Grimoire has spoken. We'll roll the die again.
[Amelia] If you don't give me that die, I'll throw the book in the fire.
[Jakob] It's a magic book. It can't be burned.
[Amelia] Then toss it in the fire. Come on.
No. I'm not gonna fucking tempt destiny.
[Amelia] That's what I thought. Shut up, man. You're such a smartass.
[voice fades] I need some of that if I'm gonna hang out with you guys.
[mysterious music]
[Jutta] Take a deep breath.
Your body is feeling heavy.
And on the count of three,
you'll be in the place you know from your dreams.
One.
Two.
Three.
[echoing] Open your eyes, Astrid.
Describe the place for me.
It's hazy.
And it smells wet.
Take a good look around you.
[young Astrid] I don't want to. I wanna go home.
[Jutta] What would make her feel safe?
[Lene] She's called Mikala.
[Jutta] Look in your hand.
Astrid.
Do you feel Mikala holding your hand and looking out for you?
You're not alone.
Do you feel it?
-Yeah. -[Jutta] Okay. Good.
Then keep going, Astrid.
Be calm and relaxed.
Go deeper.
And every step you take,
Mikala is looking out for you and helping you.
Nothing can happen to you.
[young Astrid breathes nervously]
[creepy music]
[eerie voices whisper]
[animal growls]
[young Astrid echoes] Something's hanging.
[Jutta] Do you see what it is?
[young Astrid] A necklace.
[Jutta] Do you see what kind of necklace it is?
It's a gold necklace. It's an anchor.
It has to be Ida's. It must be Ida's. Astrid? Astrid, do you see Ida?
[animal whining]
He's here.
Who, Astrid?
The one who took them.
What does he look like?
-Can you tell who he is? -It's an animal.
It's dangerous.
But she has to find Ida. She needs to go closer.
Astrid, listen to my voice. Can you get any closer?
-Astrid. -[young Astrid] Help me.
[Lene] Do you see Ida? Astrid?
He's coming now.
Help me.
Astrid, do you see Ida?
-I want to get out. -[Lene] Astrid, you need to go further in.
[echoing voices]
[approaching growls]
[Lene] Astrid, do you see her?
[approaching growls]
[young Astrid yells]
[Lene] You need to go deeper.
-Astrid, do you see her? -What the hell is going on here?
Astrid? Astrid? Astrid?
Come on, sweetie. Just breathe, Astrid. Come, breathe in.
What's going on with her? Get-- Get her back here. Right now!
Astrid, on the count of three...
[Dennis] You get her back here. Right now!
-...you'll wake up. One, two... -No, she needs to bring Ida.
-...three. -Take Ida's hand. Bring Ida back.
You've got to stop and stay away from her! Are you completely out of your mind?
Astrid, look...
-Astrid? -[Jutta] Astrid?
-[Dennis] Darling. -[Jutta] Wake up.
-[young Astrid] Mom. -[Jutta] Listen to my voice.
-Astrid. -[Dennis] Breathe.
She saw Ida.
-No, goddamn it, she didn't see Ida. -She saw her.
Ida is dead!
You need to understand Ida is dead!
Astrid, come.
Try to get up. Come now, look here. I'm gonna try to sit you up, gently.
There you go. There, come here.
Try to put your arms around Dad and then I'll stand up with you.
Ida's not dead.
Just like that.
Dad is with you now, okay?
Ida isn't dead.
Ida is not dead!
But she saw her.
She saw her.
She's not dead.
[door beeps]
Hello.
Anyone?
Hello?
Yeah, what's happened?
It's my daughter. She's not responding...
[voice fades]
[inaudible]
[Henrik] Your grief, I understand it.
[Astrid sniffs]
It's not really about my grief, you know.
Then what?
You might be searching for a meaning that doesn't exist.
So, you're saying that you...
You're saying their disappearance isn't real?
No, that's...
That's very real.
I think you're asking the wrong questions.
What are the right questions, then?
There must be an answer.
-And you think others have it? -Yeah.
I think someone knows the truth, yeah.
Have you never felt that something was true for you, but not for others?
Yeah.
What?
When I was little, I saw things.
When my sister disappeared.
Saw what?
Nightmares. I had nightmares.
Were they real?
No.
Or, yeah, they were.
Well, yeah, to me, they were real, of course.
You don't see them anymore?
I was cured.
-You were cured? -Yeah.
Cured of being yourself.
Hey, Lisa.
If you wanna catch the last bus, you need to leave now.
-[Henrik] Oh, is it that late? -Yeah.
You're welcome to stay here for the night if you'd like.
We have a guestroom.
Well, um...
-Great. It's settled, then. -[Astrid] Thanks.
I'll go make the room ready.
-[Astrid] Do you need help or... -Not at all. Just stay here.
-[Astrid] Thanks. -Thanks, Lisa.
I don't know.
What?
Well, I'm just starting to doubt what is...
...what's the right way to go, and what makes sense.
I've always sort of thought
that I'd understand everything or that everything would make sense
when I grew up or...
had my child.
And then when I had her,
it wasn't like everything
all of a sudden made sense.
I think you need to keep going along the path you're already on.
Your path isn't the same as mine.
The best thing you can do is to...
light up the path
you're on as best as you possibly can.
Because in the end...
...we're all alone.
Jakob, not here.
It's fine. They're sleeping.
Hey.
Is everything okay?
What's wrong?
I don't know.
I just feel so sad.
Lonely.
But I'm right here.
What about when you're not here anymore?
Why should I not be here?
Because everything ends, always.
Not us.
We're you and me.
We've only just begun.
I love you.
I've loved you since the first time I saw you.
I love you too.
[breathes deeply]
[unsettling music playing]
[echoing whispers]
[screams]
[Amelia] Don't get stuck.
You really went all in.
[Falke] There's no reason not to.
[Amelia] Now I feel kinda under-dressed in this.
That's the island we're going to.
[Falke] How did you think we'd get over there?
-[Amelia] By swimming? -[Jakob] I've got it worked out.
The book's got it worked out?
Seriously, what is this thing you're wearing?
What is this?
It's my mom's fur. I told you already.
[Amelia] Are we stealing somebody's boat now?
No, no.
[Amelia] Is it something you got us?
No, not me.
[Ida] Who was it, then?
-It's destiny. Help me out. -[Amelia] No.
-Yeah, sure. -Do you even know how to row?
[Jakob] Yes, of course.
-Of course. -[Falke] Careful.
[Jakob] Let's push it a bit further before I jump in.
[Amelia] Do you need help?
[Jakob] Let's turn it around.
[gentle orchestral music playing]
Watch out!
[tires screeching]
[panicked breaths]
[peaceful orchestral music playing]
[Amelia] Thank you.
[Falke] So, how did you think we'd get up there?
[Jakob] Let's go this way.
[alert tone plays]
[driver] We're just waiting for the passengers from the train.
[mysterious music]
[Astrid] Hey!
Hey!
I've seen you.
Why are you following me?
Sorry.
-[Amelia] Look. Want some? -[Falke] No, of course I don't want it.
-[Amelia] Yes. Take it. -No. Stop it.
-You're so annoying. -We need to be careful.
-Yeah, goddamn right. It's expensive. -It's Mommy's coat.
-Stop doing that. -[Amelia] It's not a big deal.
Could you take this seriously?
-Calm down. -Jakob, there is nothing here.
You knew there'd be nothing out here. You chose to come out here anyway.
-You two are so serious. -It's not Jakob's fault.
Can't we just try to have some fun?
Hey, look, there's nothing here.
Shouldn't we just go back? It's really cold out here too.
Yeah. Let's bounce.
It really is very cold.
-[Jakob] Wait. Look over there. -Jakob, come on.
[Amelia] What the fuck?
What are they doing?
I told you so.
[distant drumming and chanting]
[Amelia] What is that?
[drumming and chanting continue]
-We're going. -No.
-[Jakob] We're going over there. Yeah. -Going over there?
Wait. You just want us to join in, or what?
[Jakob] Yes.
-We can't do that. -Of course we can.
-Jakob? -The Grimoire says anyone can join.
Jakob, have you seen the kind of clothes they're wearing?
[Jakob] Yeah.
[Amelia] It's just some kind of role-playing game.
[Jakob] We're doing it.
That's why we're here.
I'm going over there.
[drumming and chanting continue]
-Fuck that. -What's the worst that could happen?
Come on.
Hm. What do you wanna do?
[Amelia] Well, come on.
I could just row you back home.
Get yourself together, Falke. Come on.
[loud drumming and chanting]
Let's do it, okay?
Now. Let's go.
Come.
[eerie music]
MEET ME AT BAKKEN ON FRIDAY AT 2 P.M.
[Jakob's music plays over headphones]
♪ Ostara ♪
♪ Ostara... ♪
[drumming and chanting]
[drumming and chanting stop]
[woman 2] Ostara has been found.
[man] Ostara.
[tense music]
Ida, we should leave now. This is insane. Don't you think we should leave?
Come on.
-It's fine. -What?
It's fine.
Come here.
There. It's a great honor.
[drumming and chanting]
[drumming and chanting stop]
[little girl sings "My Bonnie Lies over the Ocean"]
♪ My Bonnie lies over the ocean ♪
♪ My Bonnie lies over the sea ♪
♪ My Bonnie lies over the ocean ♪
♪ So bring back my Bonnie to me ♪
♪ Bring back, bring back ♪
♪ Bring back my Bonnie to me ♪
♪ To me ♪
♪ Bring back ♪
♪ Bring back my Bonnie to me ♪