Ma folie [literally translates to My Madness, there is no official English title as far as I know]
Director: Andrina Mracnikar
Writer: Andrina Mracnikar
Cast: Alice Dwyer, Sabin Tambrea, Oliver Rosskopf, Gerti Drassl, Anna Rot

Plot:
Hanna (Alice Dwyer) is on holidays in France when she meets Yann (Sabin Tambrea) shortly before she has to leave. They spend a passionate weekend together, then Hanna returns to Vienna, where she regularly receives video messages from Yann, much to the dismay of her ex-boyfriend Goran (Oliver Rosskopf). Soon Yann comes to Vienna in person and reveals that he has quit his job and will stay as long as Hanna wants him to. Hanna is at first a little taken aback, but then she’s overjoyed. But Yann is not only intense, he’s also rather insecure and their relationship doesn’t stay easy.

Ma folie tries a little too hard to be clever, but otherwise it’s not a bad debut, even if it didn’t blow me away.

Mracnikar doesn’t really broach any new subjects with her film. I feel like there have been millions of movies with passionate, obsessive romances that turn very bad when possession and jealousy enter the mix. And there have also been quite a few films that play on illusions and leave open what’s real and what’s not real. But at least Mracnikar’s take on these tried concepts is well-made and atmospheric.

There were some things that annoyed me: there are so many warning signs when it comes to Yann’s behavior that it is surprising that Hanna doesn’t run screaming from him. Especially since she works in a field – as a children’s therapist – that requires a lot of reflection and insight into the human psyche. But then again, you could also read that as a message that anybody can slither into that kind of trouble, maybe especially when you think you wouldn’t. But it did saw at my suspension of disbelief, especially after the break-up, when Hanna’s inability to really free herself from Yann stretched my credulity more and more.

When even Hanna’s own judgement and perceptions are more and more called into question, I got angry at the film. A codependent relationship veering towards abuse is one thing, but when you start implying that maybe the abused party might be imagining things herself, I really don’t want to go along with you anymore.

And if that wasn’t enough, apart from Hanna, there are two women with bigger parts in the film – a co-worker who she hates and her neighbor and best friend who turns out not to be as trustworthy as initially assumed. And I’m so tired of this lack of relationships (especially friendly relationships) between women in films, I can hardly tell you. [And let’s not get into Goran who is less of a character and more of a rollercoaster ride.]

I hope that these things are the growing pains of a first feature because I do see a lot of potential and strength in this film. It’s just not quite there yet.

Summarizing: Let’s see what Mracnikar comes up with next.