5 FRAUEN/ 5 WOMEN

Germany, 2016, 98 minutes, Colour.
Anna Koenig, Odine Johne, Kaya Marie Moller, Julia Dietze, Korina Krauss, Stefano Cassetti.

Directed by Olaf Kraemer.

Four women who have been friends for many years come to the south of France to enjoy a holiday in a farm owned by an older friend. The film gives some background to each of the women, though the owner has suffered some kind of trauma and the others are trying to support her. Everything seems idyllic for a holiday and a healing of past memories.

However, one of the women is late, encounters a stranger swimming in the lake, succumbs to a sexual encounter. The man later arrives, seems attractive to most of the women, says that he is looking for his brother. In the meantime, the audience has seen roadblocks and police searching for robbers.

With the coming of the man, and the attraction for the women, some conflicts arise amongst the women themselves. This is complicated by the intrusion of another man, the revelation about the two brothers.

However, the owner of the house, who has had an experience of sexual trauma, is also attracted to the man – but, this leads to violent consequences.

The film is strong in its presentation of its themes, moves into darker aspects of human nature.