I grew up reading about the actual case from a small community in the middle of Norway.
Lindholm and Vinterberg's story is of course altered for dramatic effect, as well as shortened the amount of time it took to resolve.
I was only in my teens, without any sort of knowledge about the particular community/invidivuals or the basis of proof, but I remember it never sitting quite right with me. As the Danish title refers to, it absolutely felt like a witch hunt, with some, in hindsight, awful handling by the professionals on the case.
As it were, the origin story changed a national belief in children as 100% purveyors of truth.

From this, Lindholm writes, unfortunately not completely free…

A brilliant move on the part of Director Thomas Vinterberg to go in the direction that he did with this film! Rather than keep us in the dark as to whether or not a crime had been committed he laid all of his cards on the table leaving no doubt whatsoever as to the innocence of this man!

By doing so we saw, felt, and anguished over the many injustices that wrongfully took place against this teacher, friend and neighbor from a small town where everyone knows everyone by name!

It in essence allowed us to walk in Lucas's shoes! And it was a truly devastating and emotionally draining experience! His journey became our journey and I can only hope…

"Look into my eyes. Look me in the eyes. What do you see? Do you see anything? Nothing. There's nothing. There's nothing. You leave me alone now."

Danish director, Thomas Vinterberg (The Celebration), delivers a powerful and emotionally draining drama that will leave audiences hooked and feeling enraged for what Mads Mikelssen's character goes through in his closely-knit community. It's a film that will resonate with you and stay on your mind long after it's over. Building on Mikelssen's powerful and engaging performance this is a thrilling psycho-social drama that studies the mob mentality very closely while showing us how a lie that's been accepted takes on a life of its own destroying innocent lives in the process. That is…

A tragic portrait of how prejudice can turn even the most decent people into a mindless mob, The Hunt is a provocative study of our ever judgmental society which is always ready to believe anything that gives them an opportunity to persecute someone without even verifying the accusation or caring about how affecting & damaging it could actually be if the accused turns out to be innocent.

Set around Christmas in a small Danish town, The Hunt (also known as Jagten) tells the story of Lucas; a kindergarten schoolteacher in his mid-40s who is admired by his peers, loved by his school children & is friendly with everyone in town. But his life soon turns upside down when an innocent lie spreads…