<p>DidierKonings’simmeringmediaevalhorrorWitteWievenexplorestheconfluenceofreligionandpatriarchyinanexcessivelypuritanicalDutchvillage.Blamedbyhercommunityforbeingchildless,Friedaimmersesherselfinprayerandritual.Whenshereturnsunscathedfromtheforbiddenforestsurroundingthevillage,havingevadedalecherousbutcher,sheiscondemnedasanagentofthedevil.Frieda,however,findsnewfaithinthedarkpowersthatinhabitthewoods.<br/> Shotinareducedcolourpaletteattheedgeofvisibility,Konings’grippingfilmconstructsaconvincingpre-modernsocietywhosepracticesitelucidateswithpatienceandattention.AlthoughsetintheMiddleAges,WitteWievendisplaysanunmistakablycontemporaryspirit,craftingafeministparableaboutwomendiscoveringnewwaysofunderstandingtheirlivesandtheworld.</p>
