You've probably heard the buzz coming out of the festival circuit about a movie that feels like a fever dream. It’s monochrome. It’s haunting. It’s Magnus von Horn’s latest masterpiece. Honestly, finding The Girl with the Needle where to watch has become a bit of a scavenger hunt because of how international distribution works these days. This isn't your typical weekend blockbuster that drops on every platform at once. It’s a slow burn.
The film follows Karoline, a young factory worker in post-WWI Copenhagen, who finds herself in a desperate situation. She meets Dagmar, a woman running an underground adoption agency. But as you can guess, things get dark. Really dark.
Where Can You Actually Stream The Girl with the Needle?
Right now, the situation depends heavily on where you’re sitting. In the United States and Canada, MUBI has snapped up the rights. That’s great news if you’re already a subscriber to the cinephile-focused platform. If you aren't, they usually offer a seven-day trial. You can often find MUBI as an "add-on channel" through Amazon Prime Video or Apple TV, which makes the login process way less of a headache.
For those in the UK and Ireland, the rollout has been slightly different. Curzon usually handles these types of prestige titles, and a theatrical window is almost always required before it hits their home cinema platform.
If you are looking for The Girl with the Needle where to watch in Europe, specifically Scandinavia, the film has a much more robust presence in physical cinemas and local VOD services like Viaplay or SF Anytime.
The film premiered at Cannes, which means it’s been traveling the "festival gauntlet." This often delays a wide digital release. Why? Because the producers want that Oscar or European Film Award momentum to build up. Usually, we see a digital "buy or rent" option (PVOD) appear on platforms like Google Play and Fandango at Home about 45 to 90 days after the initial limited theatrical run.
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Why Everyone is Obsessed with This Specific Movie
It’s the aesthetic. This movie looks like it was dug out of a time capsule from 1920. Shot in stunning black and white with a 1.66:1 aspect ratio, it feels claustrophobic. It’s intentional.
The story is loosely—and I mean loosely—based on the real-life case of Dagmar Overbye. She’s one of Denmark’s most notorious serial killers. People go into this expecting a true-crime biopic, but they get something much more poetic and horrifying. It’s basically a social horror film. It tackles poverty and the lack of reproductive rights in a way that feels uncomfortably relevant today.
Magnus von Horn didn't want to make a "history lesson." He told Variety in an interview that he wanted to explore the "darkness within us." It shows.
The MUBI Factor
MUBI is basically the king of "hard to find" cinema. If you're searching for The Girl with the Needle where to watch, and it's not on Netflix or Max, MUBI is almost always the answer. They curate their library so things don't stay there forever. It’s a revolving door. You might see the film available in October but gone by December.
Keep an eye on their "Coming Soon" section. They are notorious for dropping high-profile acquisitions right before award season.
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The Theatrical Experience vs. Home Streaming
Look, some movies are fine on a laptop. This isn't one of them. The sound design is abrasive. It’s meant to shake you. The score by Frederikke Hoffmeier (better known as Puce Mary) is industrial and terrifying. If you have the chance to see this in a boutique cinema—do it.
If you're stuck at home, wear headphones. Seriously.
Is It Available on Physical Media?
Physical media isn't dead yet. Thank God. For a film with this much visual panache, a 4K UHD release is likely through a boutique label like Second Sight or Criterion.
Usually, these announcements happen three to six months after the streaming debut. If you're a collector, wait for the physical release. The bitrates on streaming services often crush the deep blacks and grainy textures that make this film beautiful.
Common Misconceptions About the Release
- It’s not a horror movie in the traditional sense. There are no jump scares. No monsters. Just the crushing weight of reality.
- It isn't a documentary. While Dagmar Overbye was real, Karoline is a fictionalized lens for us to view the era.
- It won’t be on Disney+ or Paramount+. It’s too "niche" and "extreme" for the big family streamers.
Navigating Regional Restrictions
If you see a link claiming you can watch it for free on a random site, don't click it. It’s a scam. Or at the very least, it's a malware-ridden pirate site. Because The Girl with the Needle is an independent European co-production, it relies on ticket sales and legitimate streams to break even.
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If you're in a country where it hasn't been "officially" released yet, using a VPN to access MUBI's UK or US library is a common workaround for many film buffs. Just make sure your payment method is accepted across regions.
Practical Steps for Your Watchlist
First, check MUBI. That is your primary destination for The Girl with the Needle where to watch right now. If it’s not there, check your local independent theater's schedule. These small "art house" venues often get 35mm or digital prints for one-week runs.
Second, set a Google Alert for the film's title. Since distribution deals for indie films are signed country-by-country, a deal for Australia or South Africa might be announced tomorrow.
Third, follow the production company, Nordisk Film, on social media. They are the most reliable source for "where to watch" updates.
Finally, prepare yourself mentally. This is a heavy sit. It’s about 115 minutes of unrelenting atmospheric tension. Make sure you have the right setting—dark room, no distractions, and a good sound system. Once you've watched it, look up the history of the actual Dagmar Overbye case to see just how much the film deviated from—and leaned into—the grim reality of 1910s Copenhagen.
The most actionable thing you can do right now is verify if your MUBI region has the "Leone d'Oro" or "Cannes Competition" collection live. Most of the time, the film is tucked away in those categories rather than the front page. If it isn't available in your region yet, the Blu-ray pre-orders usually go live on Amazon UK or specialized sites like Zavvi within months of the festival run ending. Keep your eyes peeled for those "Limited Edition" boxes; they'll likely sell out fast.