“Devil’s Bath”, interview with directors Veronika Franz and Severin Fiala

February 23, 2024

Severin Fiala: “Inspired by true events, the film is our scariest one. If it was an horror film it would be less terrific as it would feel artificial.

“Devil’s Bath”, interview with directors Veronika Franz and Severin Fiala Chiara Nicoletti

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After “The Lodge” in 2019 and the collaboration with M.Night Shamalan on Apple TV series “Servant“, Veronika Franz and Severin Fiala are back at co-directing with a new film, “Devil’s Bath“, presented in competition at the 74th Berlinale.

Inspired by the true events happening in 1750 Austria and a historical phenomenon called “suicide by proxy”, they wrote and directed the story of Agnes, a woman struggling with what we now know as depression, trying to end her life in a Christian world where suicide is not forgiven, by killing innocent children as homicide was punished with death but was forgiven and you could still end up in Heaven.

For those who were expecting a pure horror film from the two directors, considering their filmography, they explain that there’s nothing more “horror” than true events like these ones. “ If it was an horror film it would be less terrific as it would feel artificial” confirms Severin Fiala.

“Devil’s Bath“, although set in 1750, is a film that speaks about mental health and how mental illness was considered a stigma as it is still today in some cases.

The directors show how Agnes’ inability to speak her mind out eventually led to her instability and to the desperate and evil choices she made.

The protagonist is played by first time actress and famous singer Anja Plaschg, also known as Soap&Skin, who also composed the music of the film.

Plot

Upper Austria in the year 1750: a fishpond reflects the grey sky. A deep, dark forest swallows the sun- light. On a hilltop, an executed woman has been displayed for all to see. As evidence. As a warning. As an omen? Agnes, deeply religious and highly sensitive, looks at the dead woman with pity. But also with longing, because she feels like a stranger in the world of her husband Wolf. It is an emotionally cold world con- sisting of work, chores and expectations. Agnes withdraws more and more into herself. Her inner prison becomes ever more oppressive, her melan- choly more overwhelming. Soon her only way out seems to be a shocking act of violence.

Written by: Chiara Nicoletti

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