Requiem

In the 1970s, high school graduate Michaela moves from her strictly Catholic parental home in a village to Tübingen to take up her studies. Tentatively, she begins to enjoy a more independent lifestyle but then her epilepsy, which has been present for years, becomes more pronounced. After a particularly strenuous study assignment, she collapses. Instead of taking her to hospital, her boyfriend decides to take her to her parents. They believe Michaela to be possessed by the devil, and the terrified young woman agrees to an exorcism by two priests. Severely weakened, both physically and psychologically, she dies after several sessions.

Based on a real-life case, Hans-Christian Schmid’s portrait of religious fanaticism adopts a restrained approach that almost feels like documentary. Unlike the church from which the self-appointed exorcists hail, he foregoes showy effects and hype – and this makes the victim’s suffering all the more moving. Hansjörg Weißbrich’s rhythmic and versatile editing underlines the dramatic arc.

Source: 73. Internationale Filmfestspiele Berlin (Catalogue)