Review of The Curse of Styria

One of the most beautiful cinematic experiences I have had in ages, "Styria" is a film like no other. It is at once a creepy little Gothic romance and a psychological drama - a rich and complex film that flirts with death, guilt and suicide, but does so in such a seductive way that it makes it utterly irresistible. The performances firmly ground the film in an emotional reality, whilst making the ancient metaphors, dreams and nightmares flesh. But like all great films it remains a mystery and far more than the sum of its parts. Like the castle in which the story plays out, "Styria" begs us to return back to it and go deeper, beyond the layers of history and narrative, into something very primal and very beautiful.