To all outward appearances Michael, 35, leads a normal, unremarkable life. He works in insurance, has a sister he sees from time to time, goes on the occasional trip with colleagues from work but largely keeps himself to himself. Arriving home to his neat and tidy suburban house, he prepares dinner. But what is different about Michael is that he will be sharing the meal with Wolfgang, a ten-year-old boy he is keeping captive in his cellar.
Director Markus Schleinzer describes the film as showing the last five months of Michael and Wolfgang’s ‘involuntary’ life together. Schleinzer, who has worked extensively as a casting director in Austria with filmmakers including Michael Haneke and Jessica Hausner, approaches his incendiary subject with restraint, eschewing emotion or judgement. Much of what he shows us is the familiarity and small detail of Michael’s life, and that of two people who have lived in close proximity for some time. Schleinzer’s low-key approach builds tension and discomfort, and whilst Michael is far from being a sympathetic character, his sheer mundanity makes his actions all the more chilling. - Sandra Hebron BFI London Film Festival
Winner, Telescope Award for Best New Talent from the EU, Melbourne International Film Festival
