Easter get-together will never be the same with this tense psychological potboiler that simmers with unfolding strangeness and unease. This Tribeca thriller is about a family catch-up turn gruesome that is far from being your family movie. Cleverly fusing the idea of hunger and deprivation with the shock of human immortality, this spine-chiller builds up to its tried-and-tested recipe for a final meal on familial death row. Losing weight is torture in itself but could even be worse when a trusted family member is in charge of that torture.
Now this darkly comedic coming-of-age romantic tragedy was an SXSW slasher horror genre success, and what an achievement for the Aussie filmmakers who concentrated on story and character to make this work. The sisterly childhood connection between Sissy and Emma ended violently with the intervention of bully Emma. They reunite in adulthood, and although that touch of female bestie love can be construed as more unrequited romantic longing and frustration on the part of Sissy, it was never really actualised. What this horror slasher film does well, however, is good character development paired with exceptional performances to elevate the psychological tensions that become physically violent in the end.
Exquisitely filmed and meticulously edited, this dark Greek myth retold mesmerises with its suspense and shock aesthetics sans dialogue, like an ethereal dream fantasy with an immediacy that imprints on your mind like a recurring nightmare. Rendered in gothic black and white, this is best enjoyed in 3D, with imageries that are best preserved as sensual art forms menaced by the ghastly dark themes invoked by this hypnotic film experience.
Check out the following European films by female filmmakers as part of the Sydney Film Festival 2020 On-Demand program.
The biggest film festival in Australia is the Sydney Film Festival which was held for twelve days last 8-19 June 2022, with so many film premieres from prestigious film festivals such as Berlinale, Venice, Cannes, and Sundance, among others. Twelve films vied for competition and the following are my favourites.
