Ninjababy: An interview with director Yngvild Sve Flikke

Norwegian dramedy Ninjababy brings a quirky and astute exploration of modern womanhood and the limited options for a carefree 20-something confronted with an unwanted pregnancy. 

The second feature from director Yngvild Sve Flikke, the film pairs Marianne Bakke’s naturalistic cinematography with animated manifestations drawn by Inge Sætre (whose graphic novel Fallteknikk inspired the screenplay). The story follows Rakel (Kristine Kujath Thorpe), who discovers she’s pregnant and already heading unexpectedly into her third trimester. It explores the maternal instinct, paternity rights and an unexpected outcome that gives the feature an unconventional twist.

We had the pleasure of speaking to Yngvild to talk about what inspired her to tell this story, the significance of the animation component, and how it feels to premiere Ninjababy at the 71^st Berlinale.

Ezelle Alblas

Ninjababy was released in Norway in January 2021 and was shown at Berlin Film Festival 2021.

Watch the trailer for Ninjababy here: