Blind Spot

Tuva Novotny has made a hard-hitting film that has to be described as one of the most impressive feature debuts in recent years. Blind Spot tackles the grey areas of mental illness; the blind spots that can be so difficult to detect. For 98 intense minutes we follow a mother’s struggle to understand her daughter Tea’s crisis as it affects the entire family. Pia Tjelta is formidable as Tea’s mother, especially considering the fact that the entire film is shot in one single take. The same has to be said of Mathea Øien fantastic acting debut as Tea.

Tuva Novotny is first and foremost known as an actress in several Scandinavian films and drama series, and has also appeared in international projects. She had her directing debut for four episodes of the series Dag, and has since directed an episode of the Netflix hit Lillyhammer. She has also written the movie script for Blind Spot, grounded in her desire to create more openness about a serious subject. How can we as adults, parents and society help our children and youth open up about difficult thoughts and mental suffering, when our ideals are built on the pursuit of happiness and plenty?