What Kjærast is about
Kjærast tells the story of two people who meet in a small coastal town in Western Norway, fall in love, and build a life together—until circumstance and geography begin to pull them apart. Asle works as a sailor; his absences stretch longer, his returns more uncertain. The film is structured around absence itself: how much distance love can endure, what loneliness looks like when you're not alone, and whether two people can stay tethered when the sea keeps calling one of them away. It's not a tragedy waiting to happen. It's something quieter and harder to name.
What we know so far
This is Jon Fosse's first and only original screenplay written directly for cinema, a script he's carried for more than 25 years under the working title "Bad Moon Rising" before finally bringing it to the screen. The pairing of Fosse with director Erik Poppe—whose films have won major international recognition—is significant. Poppe doesn't do sentimental. He won't soften the material or reach for easy catharsis. The cast remains lean: de la Nuez (known for Beforeigners) and Engeberg carry the film.
The production shot across Western Norwegian locations—Hardanger, Hoddevik, and coastal sites that aren't backdrop but character. They also filmed in Sweden (Lysekil). The landscape, the sea, wind, changing light. These aren't pretty postcards. They're weather systems that shape how people feel and who they become.
Why it's anticipated
What's striking is the rarity of this kind of collaboration. Fosse won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2023; his prose is spare, repetitive in the way that matters—sentences that circle back on themselves like someone thinking aloud. Poppe's filmmaking has a similar restraint. Neither artist traffics in excess. When you put them together on material about longing and distance—themes Fosse has explored his entire career—you're not looking at a conventional love story. You're looking at something that'll sit with you after the credits roll.
The film hasn't been seen yet. No one's written a review. But the people behind it? They don't make work by accident. There's reason to pay attention.
Release and where to watch
Kjærast is expected to release theatrically in Norway on September 18, 2026. An international festival premiere is planned for summer 2026. The film has not yet been released, and streaming availability has not been confirmed. Movie OTT will track platform announcements as distribution deals are finalized—check the Where-to-Watch widget below for updates as they happen.
Frequently asked questions
When is Kjærast releasing? The film is set for theatrical release in Norway on September 18, 2026. An international festival premiere is expected earlier in the summer of 2026.
Is Kjærast out yet? No. It hasn't been released as of now. It's in post-production and expected to arrive in 2026.
Where will I be able to watch Kjærast? Streaming and broader distribution details haven't been announced yet. Movie OTT will update you as soon as platforms and release windows are confirmed.
Who wrote and directed Kjærast? It's directed by Erik Poppe and written by Jon Fosse, the 2023 Nobel Prize laureate in Literature. This is Fosse's first original screenplay created specifically for film.
Who stars in Kjærast? Leo Magnus de la Nuez plays Asle and Kristi-Helene Engeberg plays Gerd, the central couple.
What to expect
A quiet film about loud feelings. Don't expect melodrama or easy resolution—Fosse and Poppe don't work that way. What you'll get instead is precision: every line, every pause, every shot doing exactly what it needs to do and nothing more. That's the kind of filmmaking that stays with you. September 2026 can't come soon enough.