Retrospekt
A bold psychological drama about women, work and domestic violence that rejects clichés and treads a thin line between experimental and narrative filmmaking.
Mette (Circé Lethem) counsels domestic violence victims while managing her own complicated life. Dedicated to her work, she brings a client, Lee (Lien Wildemeersch), into her home, muddying the margins between her professional and personal life – a decision that will have far-reaching consequences.
Award-winning director Esther Rots builds suspense with an experimental style, flashing back and forward to reveal a tragedy early on before detailing the events that cause it. It’s a brave approach to complex material, which is made all the more challenging by the film’s deliberately abrasive operatic soundtrack. Defying expectations, Retrospekt will get under your skin and stay there long after the screen goes black.
“Retrospekt goes further with the idea of schism than most thematically similar films about psychological breakdown.” – Variety