A mother, a sacrifice, and eggshells full of dread — medieval horror goes full theatre-kid.
Set in a Medieval town, the film has a theatrical quality, as the behaviours and actions of the characters are exaggerated almost to the point of satire. Nevertheless, its relatively dark and heavy plot yields over-the-top expressions from the actors. There is little dialogue as the story opens: a mother is seen tending to her sick daughter, whom she is then told must be sacrificed to the forest. The viewers patiently but curiously watch the mother perform healing rituals with objects like egg shells, dried plants and twigs–also recurring in the installation–until the daughter mysteriously disappears.
Production
Installation-art sets that bleed into live action.
Acting
Eidinger's stranger is all menace and arthouse swagger.
Costume
Medieval garb that looks genuinely lived-in and cursed.
Director
John Bock
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
John Bock is primarily known as a Neo-Dadaist installation artist; this film extends his 'Klutterkammer' aesthetic of chaotic assemblage into narrative cinema.
The recurring organic materials—eggshells, twigs, dried plants—are staples of Bock's actual gallery works, making the film a literal translation of his visual vocabulary into plot.
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