From Fri. 16.1. to Sun. 18.1. the 23rd Mannheim Film Seminar will take place - the topic is the filmmaker Jane Campion, who will be examined in detail under the motto "In Dialogue: Psychoanalysis and Film Theory". Information and registration: https://cinema-quadrat.de/filmseminar/

HOLY SMOKE

USA/AUS 1999. D: Jane Campion. D: Kate Winslet, Harvey Keitel, Julie Hamilton, Sophie Lee, Pam Grier. 115 min. DF. FSK: 12

On a trip to India, Ruth becomes a follower of a cult - to the displeasure of her Australian family, who lure her back under the pretext of her father's fatal illness. The American cult expert P. J. Waters is supposed to cure Ruth of her spiritual delusions: Isolated in the outback, he, a macho playboy, tries to "normalize" the headstrong Ruth, but she resists. Between provocations, fisticuffs and mutual humiliation, sexual encounters develop which P. J. increasingly mistakes for love...
Around spiritual enlightenment and social coercion, Jane Campion develops a power and gender struggle in which she repeatedly shifts moods in a complex way: "Original in every way, this often difficult film about family, relationships, sexual politics, spiritual searching, faith and obsessions explores the director's enduring fascinations in an excitingly unconventional way." (Variety)