In this powerful and provocative film from 1982, three women with no prior acquaintance brutally murder a male shop owner in broad daylight, as bystanders watch in silence. When the women are put on trial, the court-appointed psychiatrist tries to understand why, and her findings implicate the systemic misogyny present in every aspect of the women’s lives, and men’s refusal to see it. Balancing a realistic style with a sense of symbolism, Dutch director Marleen Gorris’ debut film is a nuanced and thought-provoking feminist work that still has the power to shock.
Part of Dutch Discoveries, supported by Kingdom of the Netherlands.
