The film opens with footprints
in deep snow, the camera slowly pulling back until a figure pulling an empty
sled enters the frame. It is an eerie image, but then we see that it is a young
girl who pauses to let her mother catch up to her. As it gets dark, an old man
greets the woman, telling her she should hurry home. They make it home, but the
woman is still on edge, telling her daughter to hide. Outside their home, the
mother sees three strange, masked figures with torches. Interestingly, it is
they who accuse her and her daughter of evil, saying, “You should be burned down, you witches.” While gathering wood the
next day, the woman collapses in the snow. Her daughter tries to take care of
her, but the woman’s condition worsens. She becomes delusional and more like an
animal, to the point where she terrifies her young daughter. These early scenes
are done with very little dialogue, which adds to the creepy and frightening
vibe of the film, and helps to punch up the feeling of isolation which pervades
the story.
We then jump to several years later,
when Albrun is now an adult, with an infant of her own, living in the same
cabin where she grew up. We are treated to some absolutely beautiful shots of the
mountains, which work in contrast to the actions of the people in the area.
Some boys taunt and torment Albrun as she struggles to carry two buckets of
goat milk, throwing rocks at her and calling her a witch. One woman, Swinda
(Tanja Petrovsky) seems to come to her aid in that moment, and then later
visits Albrun. The innocent, shy smile on Albrun’s face when she believes she
has a friend is incredibly touching, and we think maybe things will be all
right for her. But it isn’t long before things turn against her once more. In
one of the most arresting scenes of the film, Swinda whispers in Albrun’s ear, “It is disgusting how all of you stink.”
Her tone is strangely seductive, and the two of them are lying on the grass
together, as a man gets on top of Albrun. It is an incredibly powerful scene,
masterfully shot. And it is after that that things begin to get strange and frightening. It is a film whose style and imagery will remain with you for a long time.
Special Features
The Blu-ray contains a
commentary by the director on certain scenes, including the opening. He talks
about the pace, saying he likes to work with long opening shots. I was
surprised to learn that Celina Peter, who plays the young Albrun, had never
acted before. He also comments on the scene when young Albrun is frightened by
her mother, and on that incredible sequence when Albrun eats an hallucinogenic
mushroom. Eye drops were used to dilate her pupils in that scene. There is also
commentary on the film’s final sequence, when Albrun’s mind has deteriorated.
Approximately a third of the film contains commentary.
The special features also
include a deleted scene, with optional commentary by the director. This scene
would have come after Albrun crawls out of the swamp, and features the old man
from the opening sequence. It’s better that this scene is cut, so that Albrun’s
isolation is complete at that point. She is totally alone in her world. Also
included are a music video by MMMD, which incorporates footage from the film,
and the movie’s trailer. The final bonus feature is Interferenz, a short film
by Lukas Feigelfield, which features Aleksandra Cwen in a supporting role. This
film is approximately forty-nine minutes.
Hagazussa was directed by Lukas Feigelfeld, and was released on
Blu-ray on April 23, 2019 through Doppelganger Releasing. It is presented in
its original German with optional English subtitles.
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