A disturbing and idiosyncratic film inspired by a newspaper article. An American soldier who just returned from the Gulf War digs a grave in the morning in the Mojave Desert in California. The bloody body of his wife is lying on the back seat of the car. The soldier is arrested and interrogated by a female naval officer who seems to be haunted by the victim’s visions.Nina Menkes is one of today’s most important independent film-makers. She has so far made four full-length features, entirely independently. She writes, directs, shoots and produces everything herself and as such maintains complete artistic control over her work. In this way she has developed a unique low-budget film language focusing on the female identity. Her sister Tinka Menkes plays an important role in the process of realising the films: in the last twelve years she has been protagonist, co-writer and co-editor of Menkes’ films. In The Bloody Child she plays the role of the naval officer who seems completely insensitive to everyday violence. The male cast comprises real marines who also provide substantive contributions to various scenes and wrote their own dialogue.
