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Parents' Guide to

Hilma

By Monique Jones, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 13+

Sensitive story of groundbreaking artist promotes curiosity.

Movie NR 2023 120 minutes
Hilma Movie Poster: Tora Hallström and Lena Olin pictured as two versions of Hilma, above characters sitting at a table behind a colorful background

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

  • Hilma Movie: Women sit together in a studio
  • Hilma Movie: Tora Hallström holds up a paintbrush
  • Hilma Movie: Lena Olin looks off in the distance

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What's the Story?

HILMA tells the complex story of Swedish painter and mystic Hilma af Klint (Tora Hallström), whose works, long hidden from the world, laid the foundation for modern abstract art. After experiencing tragedy, Hilma pours her artistic, spiritual, and scientific pursuits into finding out more about the unseen world, eventually creating large-scale paintings directed by the spirits she believes she is communing with.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: Not yet rated
Kids say: Not yet rated

If you're bothered by mystical talk or stories about spirits, portions of this biopic could be unsettling. But on the whole, Hilma is a deep look at an artist whose work and life were long denied their place in history among male artists whose names are better known (Kandinsky, Mondrian, etc.). Learning more about Hilma's life -- she was a woman out of time in a way, constantly going up against social expectations for women during the 19th and early 20th centuries -- may be especially meaningful for viewers who might also feel like outsiders, especially since Hilma is involved in queer romances during a time when sexual and gender differences were just beginning to be discussed with some level of seriousness. Overall, fans of interesting and unique biopics are likely to enjoy diving into the esoteric world of Hilma, especially since they'll be guided by Hallström's sensitive, entrancing star turn as the mysterious and vulnerable painter.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about grief. How does grief inform Hilma's artistic career?

  • How are gender and sexuality portrayed in the film? Why are diverse representations in the media important?

  • What types of discrimination does Hilma face? How does she respond?

  • How has Hilma's art contributed to the art world?

  • How does Hilma balance her everyday life and her interest in the esoteric?

Movie Details

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