Elena ends up in hospital after she has a car crash, in which her young son dies. And then she is suspected of murder, but she says she is innocent. She tells her lawyer an unlikely story about being kidnapped by an unknown David, who is alleged to have taken her along in his camper. On the way, they pick up the dumb Sarah, who travels with them through deserted and barren landscapes. Each of them has their own demons to fight, but they all lead to one and the same place.
Just as in his short film Le guide, Dimitri Karakatsanis allows Small Gods to start in a realistic setting, only to bring the filming increasingly onto a metaphysical level afterwards. An appeal is made not only to the lawyer but also to the viewer to put together the most truthful possible story, whether it seems possible or not. The film is eventually about faith and the themes of family, guilt, revenge and murder transcend the vulgar reality with references to a higher and more difficult plan hiding behind each fact..
The brother of the director was responsible for the atmospheric camerawork and Elena is played by his wife. When he wrote Small Gods, he always had her in mind, but it was only after a long and unsuccessful audition period that he finally dared ask her to play the lead.
Film details
- Country of production
- Belgium
- Year
- 2007
- Festival edition
- IFFR 2008
- Length
- 91'
- Medium/Format
- 35mm
