Bjork was a fascinating young woman who was lovely to work with.  But I can’t say that I got to know her very well on a personal level.  She seemed to be a naturally introverted person when she wasn’t on camera. She was friendly and got along with well with everyone - but she didn’t engage in a lot of small talk outside of the working relationship. I remember her being very focused on her work and she behaved professionally in every way. I was quite impressed with her natural acting abilities. It was hard to believe that this was her first acting experience on film. She was so relaxed, confident and never seemed to struggle. I also think that Nietzchka did a great job directing Bjork and the other actors’ performances.

At the beginning of the filming, I had to remind myself, when I spoke with her, that she was a 21 year old adult and not a child.  Her acting talent combined with her young looks and voice convinced me at times that she was only 14 years old - just like her character. I was jolted back into reality when I noticed her breast feeding her infant son on set during filming breaks.

When “The Juniper Tree” was finally released in 1990, it didn’t make a very big splash - although it was nominated for The Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance film festival. With the recent 4K restoration and the theatrical re-release of the film, I’m very pleased that “The Juniper Tree” can now be re-discovered and fully appreciated by audiences. I feel fortunate to have worked with Nietzchka on her three feature films. It’s a shame that her life and career was cut short by cancer. 

It’s now clear to both critics and viewers that Nietzchka Keene was very talented as a writer -director and definitely ahead of her time in terms of her feminist views and themes. Her interpretation of an essentially misogynist fairytale into a more humanistic and believable story is both compelling and nuanced.  I, like many others, continue to discover new and wonderful artistic details in “The Juniper Tree.”