Handling the Undead: Full list of cast in the film

Handling the Undead is a 2024 Norwegian horror mystery film that describes a chilling scenario where the dead return to life is currently streaming on Vudu and Apple TV.

Set against a backdrop of a scorching summer in Oslo, the narrative follows three families grappling with the return of their deceased loved ones. Every family struggles with unanswered grief, lost love, and a narrative that questions life and death.

Handling the Undead brings in an ensemble cast led by Renate Reinsve, Bjørn Sundquist, Bente Børsum, Anders Danielsen Lie, Bahar Pars, and Inesa Dauksta.

They play complex characters whose lives are upended by supernatural events with depth and authenticity. Their performances anchor the film's exploration of grief, love, and the eerie calm of the undead resurrected.

Handling the Undead is a distinctive twist on zombie novels set in Stockholm, in 2002. Here, the dead resurrected within the last two months aren't dangerous but disoriented, craving to return home. This phenomenon follows strange occurrences like relentless headaches, malfunctioning electronics, and falling white worms that possibly animate the dead.

The narrative weaves through the lives of David, whose wife returns from death, Tora, whose partner returns from the dead, and Mahler, who unearths his grandson to bring him home.

Handling the Undead is a novel addition to the horror genre. The movie approaches the realm of zombie fiction with humanity and subtlety. It blurs the lines between life and death and explores the myriad shades of loss and grief.

Based on John Ajvide Lindqvist's novel and directed by Thea Hvistendahl, the movie goes beyond typical horror tropes by focusing on the people in the story.

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Full cast list of Handling the Undead

Main Cast

1) Renate Reinsve as Anna

Anna, played by Renate Reinsve, struggles with her dead son's sudden return. Anna alternates between grief and bewildered relief throughout the film. Anna's character explores personal and collective trauma as she tries to look out for her unresolved feelings and the undead's societal effects, highlighting the complexities of human relationships with supernatural phenomena.

She embodies the grief of losing one's child and losing oneself in the process.

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2) Bjørn Sundquist as Mahler

Bjørn Sundquist's portrayal of Mahler presents a deeply touching narrative. Reporter Mahler exhumes his beloved dead grandson. Mahler's story is the most heart-wrenching and sets the narrative apart from other zombie fiction. He mourns his grandson Elias, who died after falling off a balcony while catching a ladybug. Mahler discovers what is happening early and digs up Elias from the cemetery and brings him home.

Though Anna, Elias' mother is horrified at his sight, she cannot seem to part from her son yet again. Both Mahler and Anna hide his body and attempt to revive him while the authorities try to round up the resurrected and place them in a holding cell.

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3) Bente Børsum as Tora

In the role of Tora, Bente Børsum encapsulates the quiet turmoil of an older woman who must face her partner's sudden return from the dead. This role delves into themes of mourning and acceptance as Tora confronts the reality of having her partner back under such surreal conditions.

Børsum's performance adeptly captures the conflicting emotions of relief and confusion, painting a realistic portrait of grief interrupted by the supernatural.

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4) Anders Danielsen Lie as David

Anders Danielsen Lie as David in Handling the Undead (Image via Instagram/@andersdanielsenlieofficial)

David is a comedian living with his partner Eva and two kids (Inesa Dauksta and Kian Hansen). Anders Danielsen Lie plays David, who finds himself in a moral and emotional labyrinth when his deceased partner, Eva returns. David's character arc explores the ethical dilemmas posed by the undead's return, as well as the personal torment and hope it brings.

Lie's portrayal is nuanced, highlighting the internal conflict and the overarching desire to protect his family from further pain while dealing with the implications of his partner's unnatural return.

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5) Bahar Pars as Eva

Bahar Pars as Eva in Handling the Undead (Image via Instagram/@baharpars)

Eva, portrayed by Bahar Pars, is David's partner, who is on life support after an accident. Shortly, after her death she rises again in the morgue. Eva's experience probes the impact of unresolved issues resurfacing along with the deceased.

Pars delivers a compelling performance that explores the layers of love, loss, and the eerie reality of having a second chance at closure.

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6) Inesa Dauksta as Flora

Inesa Dauksta’s role as Flora, David and Eva's daughter, is crucial in linking the film's thematic elements and the mystical aspects of the plot. Before she can grieve the death of her mother, she is thrown into the bizarre crisis of her dead mother's resurrection.

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Supporting Characters

1) Kian Hansen as Kian

Kian Hansen plays Kian, David's son whose experiences add a different generational perspective to the narrative. His role helps to showcase how the phenomenon impacts individuals at different stages of life and their respective responses to his dead mother's return.

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2) Olga Damani as Elisabet

Olga Damani plays Elisabet, Tora's dead partner. Her return from the dead adds another dimension to the film.

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Behind the Scenes

Thea Hvistendahl directed and co-wrote the screenplay with novelist John Ajvide Lindqvist. They created a visually and emotionally moving film with minimalist dialogue and stark, atmospheric cinematography. Nordisk Film managed production and distribution in Norway, preserving the film's local flavor.

The release of Handling the Undead has been met with positive reviews, particularly for its innovative take on the zombie genre. Its slow-burn terror and focus on human emotions offer a fresh twist to the conventional dynamics of horror films.

In addition to horror, Handling the Undead analyses humanity in the face of the incomprehensible. The cast adeptly portrays the undead's return's turmoil and unexpected joys. This movie entertains and makes viewers think about loss, love, and life.

Handling the Undead is currently streaming on Vudu and Apple TV.