Birita

In Tórshavn, in the Faroe Islands, a close-knit family of theatre makers enters the rehearsal space for a truly unique production. Mother Birita Mohr—once a celebrated actress—is set to play the lead role in Shakespeare’s tragic masterpiece, King Lear. Yet there is one profound difference from the past: Birita suffers from severe Alzheimer’s and can barely express herself anymore. As opening weekend approaches, family dynamics become strained: the son openly grapples with the moral weight of his directorial decision, the father tries to hold it together while juggling the dual roles of husband and caregiver, and the mother drifts through it all, unable to offer a word in response. This moving documentary mirrors the reality of the dementia journey against Shakespeare’s tragedy, yet does so with a surprising playfulness and the conviction that nothing surpasses the power of family and theatre.

Birita premiered earlier this year in the Brainwaves section of the CPH:DOX festival in Copenhagen and was nominated for the Nordic Council Film Prize for Best Film. It marks the directorial debut of actor Búi Dam, who also appears at the Noordelijk Film Festival in No Rest for the Wicked (2026).