Fest Track On Sirk TV Film Review: THE DEVIL’S BATH [Tribeca Film Festival 2024 - New York, New York]

The context of madness and depression that slowly consumes in an interesting mental exercise and ailment to explore. With "The Devil's Bath" [Midnight] ,directors Severin Fiala and Veronika Franz take a practical and yet visceral approach of a sensitive young woman Agnes (Anja Plaschg) set likely it seems in the middle or dark ages, when religiousigty ruled all. Agnes is pious and wants to do her best but her demeanor is little bit off. It is not to say it is wrong...she just doesn't have a way to deal with it in any substantial way. She is arranged to marry a man from another village to create a merge, which obviously a big thing until maybe the last two centuries. But it also meant any inaliable rights were supressed through and through.

Agnes keeps the husks of dead bugs. She likes to lay on the forest floor and hear the sounds in her head. She mingles with the animals but she is slightly off in her chores. The narrative seems to very specifically make mention of scenes in bed with her husband Wolf (David Scheid) that indicated maybe he is not interested in her that way. She sees certain signs, especially when tragedy befalls one of his "close" friends. Having a child for Agnes would define what it means to be a woman for her. Wolf is perhaps tjhe trigger but the movie does set up someone before like Agnes that perhaps has the same affliction. However, the film doesn't give the viewer the direct context until towards the end. The film isn't horror really but it is about butchery as a normal way of life. Certain details like the Freudian structure at times, the catching of fish and others actions shows the relationships that are both sacred and cultish.

The religion of course is a matter of rote within this society really to just keep the peace (or to keep people scared). The music begins to shift abouut 3/4 of the way through the film. But what is really refreshing is that this isn't really supernatural as it is mostly the explosion of an inevitable truth. Plaschg plays it exceptionally well leading to a blisterimg confession scene that shows everything that is wrong with the system she lives in. For most life goes on and can be rectified. But for her,there is no one for her to turn to. She tries different ways to keep it from becoming what she believes it has to be. Her psyche takes a beating but we are not sure if this is just natural or a product of upbringing. Either way it comes back to the inkling that there will always be another. A song Agnes sings at one specific point proves oddly ironic especially in one specific circumstances. It is heartbreaking in many ways but also a sign of times, however barbaric but in their view, needed, B+

By Tim Wassberg