Hunters On A White Field

Hunters On A White Field

Manly men, hunting, rituals and the queasy smell of warm blood

Three friends arrange a hunting trip. A remote forest cabin, the air simmering with testosterone, a festival of toxic masculinity. Greger and Henrik are hunting veterans, and Alex learns from them how to shoot game without feeling remorse. However, during the trip all the forest animals vanish… and they still have to hunt for something. So, the men make a sick pact.

“Hunters On A White Field” is a screen adaptation of a novel by Mats Wägeus. It is at the same time intimate and realised with a flair, showing the primal beauty of the forest wilderness. Gregor, Henrik and Alex are present-day men who cannot cope with the collapse of the patriarchy and compensate for the loss of self-confidence by hunting, which in their view is a truly manly activity that brings them closer to the absolute. Once they decide to hunt even though there is no game, the unassuming drama becomes a psychological thriller. Only the strongest will emerge from the forest. The atmosphere of danger builds up, with glowing eyes watching them from afar. The men are more like animals in the stereotypical meaning of the word than the victims who die by their shots.

An excellent piece of cinema with an environmental and social message, yet one that evokes real anxiety. It is all the more powerful given that the story of three friends demonstrating their masculinity was directed by a woman, Sarah Gyllenstierna, who has previously worked with Spike Lee. In interviews, she stresses that she fell in love with the novel. She wanted to tell a story of hunters who become victims of the strong emotions triggered in men by the smell of blood. Her film has already captivated the Tribeca Film Festival audience, now it has the chance to captivate you too.