Wild (German Language) (2016)- BFI London Film Festival 2016

97min

Genre:       Drama

Director:    Nicolette Krebitz

Cast:         Lilith Stangenberg, Georg Friedrich, Pit Bukowski…and more

Writer:      Nicolette Krebitz

-Synopsis-

Tired of a lonely and mundane existence as an office assistant in German suburbia;  a young lady’s life takes a drastic turn when a chance encounter with a wild Wolf becomes an unhealthy obsession, mushrooming into a disturbing relationship as she begins to shun society for a more simple and savage way of life in this provocative drama from writer/director Nicolette Krebitz.

Having built an acting career over more than three decades in German television and film; Nicolette Krebitz takes a bold step on her path as a writer/director with a contemporary drama which is sure to provoke shock and discussion, among audiences daring enough to watch this troubling but captivating modern parable.

Lilith Stangenberg stars as “Ania”; a young loner with her own emotional struggles and family drama, who seems to sleepwalk through a 9 to 5 daily grind and non-existent personal life. So when an encounter with a Wolf stirs a wild part of her psyche and uncovers unlikely new possibilities, she decides to form a relationship with the noble beast in the confines of her small apartment. But this tentative obsessive bond takes on a troubling physical and emotional dimension which pushes her away from the life she knew to one that no one does.

‘Wild’ is no doubt a deliberately provocative film, with the kind of genuinely unexpected and shocking moments which European cinema does so well. This initially slow-build drama starts to pick up momentum, bolstered by a sterling synth score;  as “Ania’s” obsession morphs into  a bizarre co-dependent relationship which becomes sexual, making us curious about how it was shot using what we assume is either a real “trained” wolf, or a dog breed with lupine features like a Czechoslovakian Wolf Dog.

There are a few graphic moments which will provoke gasps from the audience, and the film is clearly sexually charged beyond just the Wolf “love”; but these moments are strategically placed and not gratuitous in any way, and Krebitz cleverly punctuates them before they become too unbearably uncomfortable by infusing a perfectly timed quip or some unlikely dark humour, preventing ‘Wild’ from becoming a Lars von Trier-like spectacle.

Although Krebitz resists the urge to publicly deconstruct the film’s themes, there are a few that clearly stand out; considering the main protagonist and a female writer/director, ‘Wild’ could be considered a Feminist allegory about sexual liberation and the breaking of society’s shackles, but there’s nothing here to romanticise this notion, if it exists at all. The film could also be seen as a parable/fable about mankind returning to its nature and rejecting the social constructs and constraints we’ve imposed on ourselves. But again the writer/director doesn’t hammer this home and leaves more than enough space for the audience to deliberate.

Ultimately ‘Wild’ is somewhat of a morally ambiguous film, adding to its allure; not delving too deep into “Ania’s” motivations and sudden existential left-turn, Krebitz  is neither judgemental nor sympathetic towards her actions, showing us both life paths in a world accepting of only one. It may be an acquired taste and too steeped in Nietzscheism for some audiences, but it’s simultaneously ambiguous and thought-provoking enough to leave a lasting impression for us.

The Bottom Line…

Thanks to Lilith Stangenberg’s raw and powerful central performance, ‘Wild’ is a provocative and troubling but never gratuitous or salacious emotion-provoking film; Nicolette Krebitz traces an unconventional but memorable path between where we’ve come from and where we’re going in this attention-grabbing contemporary German indie drama.

‘Wild’ is out in Germany, with no current UK release date.

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