Back when she was a child and ran away from her mother, Sarlota (Sára Tömölová) accidently pushed her sister Tamara (Ela Stanová) off a cliff, presumably to her death - something that has traumatized Sarlota ever since. Now Sarlota (played as an adult by Natalia Germani) returns to her hometown, summoned by a letter relating to her inheritance (that will eventually turn out to be a forgery), and she's sucked into a urban legend about witchcraft which she seems to be at the center of, just because she's been neighbours with the local herbalist and healer Otyla (Iva Bittová), who to no fault of her own was accused to be a witch, accused to have kidnapped Sarlota and killed Tamara. Of course, the locals don't want to talk about the stories of old anymore, also because it makes them look guilty, and thus choose to shun Sarlota ... all but Mira (Eva Mores), the present healer and herbalist, who couldn't care less for local legends and who likes Sarlota especially for her urban attitudes. Of course, Mira eventually turns out to be Tamara who has survived her fall after all and was nursed back to health by Otyla before things went South for her, and who has actually forged the letter to Sarlota to summon her back, just to reconnect. Now that would be a beautiful ending to the story - but for the locals - especially Mira's wifebeating neighbour Tomás (Marek Geisberg) - who have chosen to blame all their self-caused problems on the "witches" Sarlota and Mira ...

What's so remarkable about this piece of folk horror is that it's relatable to probably everyone who has lived at least some time in the country, has observed local rumor mills and barbaric rites, closed off minds and a resistance to progress, because even if the film's ultimate story is over-the-top, much of it rings true nevertheless. And that's thanks to a very grounded direction and solid performances by all involved. That said, in all honesty the film goes on a bit too long, and even then tries to stuff too much into its 100+ minute running time, so eventually loses itself in itself - but even so it's a film that definitely strikes a chord with one and is thus well wortha  watch.

review © by Mike Haberfelner

 

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