A ★★½ review of Hands in the Fire (2024)

Berlinale 2024 - Encounters - [English] For her studies, Maria is shooting scenes for a documentary about old manor houses in Portugal. The theme is visible vs. reality. But Maria soon realizes that there are creepy things hidden in the house. The cinematography is good, the earthy tones of the kitchen give the whole thing a rustic touch. The acting is too inconsistent for me, it often seems theatrical. Towards the end, it switches to incomprehensible twists and reactions from Maria. From my point of view, it is a projection of what was and perhaps just a manifestation. ___________ [Deutsch]