Birth

Birth is Estonian director Oskar Lehemaa's first English-language feature, a body horror film blending pregnancy themes with folk horror. The project follows Carl and Emma, who travel deep into an Estonian forest to attend a fertility retreat as a last resort before IVF. What begins as a final chance to start a family transforms into a nightmare when the retreat's ancient folk rituals reveal a hidden sacrificial agenda. Lehemaa, whose Sundance-selected short Bad Hair established his horror credentials, is collaborating for the first time with Estonian cinematographer Elen Lotman. The film is produced by Stellar Film's Evelin Penttilä and Johanna Maria Tamm, with backing from Tallifornia Film Fund. The project was presented at the Frontières Co-Production Market in July 2026, where producers are actively seeking international partners in Scandinavia and Ireland to position the film as a high-profile European genre project targeting major festival premieres.