Hedda Mjøen’s Oscar®-Qualified MERCY Pushes Viewers to the Edge of Loyalty and Judgment

What would you sacrifice, your reputation, your beliefs, your closest bond, when confronted with a friend accused of an unforgivable crime?

That is the piercing question at the heart of MERCY, the Oscar®-qualified short film written and directed by Norwegian filmmaker Hedda Mjøen. After a chance encounter in a supermarket with her estranged best friend Petter, who stands accused of rape, Guro is thrust into a harrowing moral dilemma: should she stand by him, risking her own reputation and sense of self, or sever the tie, abandoning someone she once trusted most?

MERCY premiered at the 48th Norwegian Short Film Festival, where it won the Oscar-qualifying Best Norwegian Short Award, propelling it into the conversation for the 98th Academy Awards®. The film’s stark, unflinching narrative examines the fragile line between loyalty and judgment, forcing audiences to wrestle with uncomfortable questions about friendship, stigma, and how quickly trust fractures under accusation.

Hedda Mjøen, a writer and director from Oslo, is known for confronting controversial and ethically charged subjects in her work, from racism and religion to sexual violence and mental illness. With MERCY, she does not offer easy answers but instead challenges audiences to step into Guro’s shoes, leaving them with lingering questions about instinct, conscience, and moral uncertainty.

Producer Stian Skjelstad, a graduate of The Norwegian Film School and owner of Mindre Film, brings further weight to the project. His debut feature A Human Position (2022) screened at Rotterdam, San Sebastian, and Chicago International Film Festivals, and he continues to build an impressive slate across live action and animation, working on projects such as the Sex, Dreams, Love trilogy (2024) and Captain Sabertooth and the Countess of Grel (2025).

Producer Oda Kruse, founder of Oslo-based Kruela Film, adds both creative depth and industry expertise. With multiple degrees in film, Oda brings academic rigor matched with on-the-ground experience. She began her career at the Bergen-based Mer Film, where she was instrumental in acclaimed productions such as War Sailor, Let the River Flow, and The Innocents. In 2023, she launched Kruela Film, a production company dedicated to director-driven projects and bold fictional storytelling with a loud voice. Her ability to champion daring stories made her a vital partner in bringing MERCY to life.

The film is produced by Nordic-based True Content Productions, and co-produced by Kruela Film. True content was founded by veteran producer Ole Søndberg (Beck, Wallander, Millennium trilogy), whose commitment to bold, perspective-shaping storytelling and international collaborations aligns with MERCY’s daring exploration of loyalty, judgment, and moral uncertainty.

By fearlessly exploring a universal yet rarely spoken truth that moral choices are rarely black and white, MERCY enters the awards race as a daring, conversation-shaping contender for 2026.