Horror films that explore the Nazi regime are a dime dozen. The real-world atrocities that the fascist faction committed lend themselves perfectly to genre stories. But whilst many focus on the Nazis themselves, or more commonly thanks to the Call of Duty video game series – Nazi zombies – few dig into the aftermath of the war. Writer and director Marie Alice Wolfszahn brings this new perspective in her film Mother Superior.
Set in 1975, Mother Superior begins with footage from a police interrogation. The footage is viewed on a television that rests atop a desk laden with papers. As the tape begins, the camera shows a young woman to be the interview subject. Her name is Sigrun (Isabella Händler) and she works as a nurse for the ailing Baroness Heidenreich (Inge Maux). As Sigrun starts to speak, the story travels into and through the television, back to Sigrun’s first day at the Baroness’s dilapidated, but impressive, homestead.
It is quickly revealed that Sigrun has chosen the assignment for reasons outside of wanting to care for the elderly woman. A byproduct of an Aryan Maternity Ward, Sigrun has no details about her birth mother and believes that the Baroness may hold the answers to help uncover her past. What Sigrun does not know however, is that her presence may hold the key to the Baroness’s future. As the two women circle one another, the viewer is left trying to piece together information and figure out just where Mother Superior might be going. To predict the path that Mother Superior winds up treading, is near impossible. Wolfszahn crafts a delicate puzzle, which teases a variety of scenarios before ultimately side-stepping them all. Even the interrogation wraparound is somewhat of a red herring, and as such, seeing Sigrun in this setting does not validate proof of life.
Though there are male supporting roles, Mother Superior is a story about two women. The dynamic between both the female characters and their players is electric. Whenever Sigrun and the Baroness are together, the film really comes alive. Händler and Maux play off of one another beautifully and juxtaposing stories of the old and young always make for good viewing. Mother Superior has the ultimate pairing, the virginal young orphan and the wicked old witch. It’s a different spin on several fairy stories, which in turn makes it an easy entry point for those exploring German genre cinema for the first time.
At barely seventy-minutes, Wolfszahn takes no time to ease the audience in. The police tape communicates that something bad has happened and allows the plot to dive in headfirst. With so many films getting longer and longer, it is always a welcome surprise to discover one that can tell everything it needs to within the confines of a shorter run time. The speedy duration does not detract from atmosphere and world building. Rosenkreuz Manor, the Baroness’s home, has an unkempt Gothic appearance to it that adds to the atmosphere of the film, whilst the reality of Aryan Maternity Wards and police interviews instils Mother Superior with an element of true crime. Wolfszahn is careful to keep what is displayed within the realm of reality (to a point), which helps to ground the story and the performances.
A welcome shake-up to the expected tale of Nazi terror, Mother Superior uncovers the real world trauma of those that grew up with an identity void due to Aryan Maternity Wards. At the same time, Wolfsazhn weaves in some more heightened horror elements, creating the perfect marriage of fictitious and fact-based nightmares.
Mother Superior
Summary
Finally a shake-up to Nazis in horror stories, Wolfszahn’s Mother Superior has a host of tricks to create maximum terror.
Mother Superior was reviewed at FrightFest Glasgow 2023.
