The Opening Film 2026 - HEX
- Prinsen kinosenter
- 02. March 18:00 — 22:00
This year’s opening film at Kosmorama is an energetic documentary about three women who enter into a three-year pact. They transform themselves into a black metal band called Witch Club Satan, which becomes an unexpected—and controversial—success.
Nikoline, Victoria, and Johanna enter a music scene steeped in mystique, extremity, and male dominance. Without knowing how to play a single instrument beforehand, they throw themselves into this unfamiliar landscape, using the genre’s conventions to express their raw and hidden powers—the witches come alive!
Director Maja Holand, who also shot the film, follows the band closely—from intense concerts on major stages to pagan rituals and vulnerable moments behind the scenes. The film not only traces the band’s musical journey, but also their inner transformation as the masks fall away. It also delves into a dark chapter of Norwegian history, when women were executed for being witches. Through a staged trial, the three band members are accused of witchcraft.
The film is produced by Herstory, a Trondheim-based production company dedicated to amplifying female perspectives in film. HEX is their latest work—about breaking free from established norms. Producer and head of research Mari Nilsen Neira employs so-called spatial audio in the film, making HEX the first Norwegian film to use this technology. The result is a three-dimensional, immersive sound experience—perfectly suited to a story about taking up space, screaming loudly, challenging both oneself and the world around us, and daring to unleash one’s inner witch.
NB: This screening is a special event and is not included in clip cards or festival pass.