Stanleyville (2021)

October 11, 2021 1:45 PM

Maria Barzan leaves her entire life behind when she is offered the chance to participate in a competition that will reveal her true self.

After abandoning her empty life as unappreciated wife and mother, Maria is approached by a man named Homunculus. He informs her she has been chosen from millions of people to participate. The following day, she meets her fellow contestants and the challenges begin. However, the stakes of the competition escalate quickly while Maria continues to try and find her true self.

posted by miss-lapin (1 comment total)

Yet another entry in the "death games" sub genre, this one takes a more existential bent being compared to "No Exit." Susanne Wuest (Goodnight Mommy) plays the barely there Maria with a quiet power. Julian Richings, of course, is well cast as the strange Homunculus.

A difficult movie to describe, I found it one of the best offerings of this this year's Nightstream.
posted by miss-lapin at 1:50 PM on October 11, 2021