Time of Moulting

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Time of Moulting

Released Jun 6, 2023

1h 22m

Drama

Horror

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88%

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8 Reviews

43%

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Fewer than 50 Ratings

The still life of a family in 57 pictures. Germany in the 1970s. Stephanie is an intelligent and lively child. But she leads an isolated life with her parents, marked by a symbiotic bonding with her mentally unstable mother. A mother who has never really left her own childhood behind and who lives amidst things of the past and the memories connected to them. Stephanie's relationship with her father is one of mistrust. The passing years only bring aging, but no future. Unspoken thoughts lurk underneath the surface of everyday life. So Stephanie retreats into a dark world of barbaric fantasies, that are nourished by the traces of the past and only belong to her alone. One day, however, Stephanie's secret invades the family's reality....

Katie Rife

AV Club

The intimations of what might happen once the camera looks away are more chilling and disturbing than what we do see.

Rated: B

Sep 10, 2020

Full Review

Leslie Hatton

Vague Visages

It may seem strange to qualify Mertens’ audaciously original production as ‘horror’ when it has no gory set pieces, jump scares, monsters or special effects. Yet, despite a lack of these things, Time of Moulting is very much a horror film.

Feb 7, 2024

Full Review

C.H. Newell

Father Son Holy Gore

After watching Time of Moulting it felt like I’d seen something I wasn’t supposed to see, as if Mertens was letting me in on a secret that dared not to be spoken aloud let alone shared.

Rated: 4.5/5

Nov 22, 2022

Full Review

Daniel Gorman

In Review Online

Time of Moulting is horror of a unique but palpable variety, capturing every parent's nightmare: the fear that wrong choices can doom a child to a life of emotional turmoil.

Jun 5, 2021

Full Review

Alix Turner

Ready Steady Cut

Eighty minutes of a young girl disintegrating in the lack of warmth from her family. Beautifully produced and performed, but I don't understand the point.

Rated: 2.5/5

Mar 14, 2021

Full Review

Enric Albero

Caimán Cuadernos de Cine

Disturbing and captivating. [Full review in Spanish]

Nov 9, 2020

Full Review

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Tink L

This is in my humble opinion an underrated masterpiece. Slow as it is, giving these deep insights into a dysfunctional family using detailed observation of everyday life is both gripping and disturbing. I appreciate it may not be for everyone, but I for one was deeply touched (I won't say I enjoyed it, because it caused emotional pain).

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

08/30/24

Full Review

Ray M

I was not impressed at all ! Some people may enjoy it, but I found not much of a story and kept waiting for something to happen. It’s better to say nothing. If you can’t say anything good personally I found it to be a waste of time.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

08/07/24

Full Review

Sarahbobo R

I kept waiting for something to happen but it never did. After it was over I felt like I had been robbed. Though the girl had a sad life, I felt there was no point at all to this movie.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

09/17/23

Full Review

Mike C

Fantastic due to character build and pace. Love the peak and valley of shot to after shot.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/10/23

Full Review

StephenPaul C

The greatest 01 hour: and 22 minutes ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/07/23

Full Review

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Sabrina Mertens

Director

Zelda Espenschied

Stephanie

Miriam Schiweck

Stephanie

Freya Kreutzkam

Mother

Bernd Wolf

Father Reinhardt

Miriam Schiller

Actor

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Synopsis

The still life of a family in 57 pictures. Germany in the 1970s. Stephanie is an intelligent and lively child. But she leads an isolated life with her parents, marked by a symbiotic bonding with her mentally unstable mother. A mother who has never really left her own childhood behind and who lives amidst things of the past and the memories connected to them. Stephanie's relationship with her father is one of mistrust. The passing years only bring aging, but no future. Unspoken thoughts lurk underneath the surface of everyday life. So Stephanie retreats into a dark world of barbaric fantasies, that are nourished by the traces of the past and only belong to her alone. One day, however, Stephanie's secret invades the family's reality....

Director: Sabrina Mertens
Producer: Sabrina Mertens, Vera Paulmann, Jan Fabi, Nadia Zimmermann, Hannah Buhr
Screenwriter: Sabrina Mertens, Sabrina Mertens
Distributor: Dekanalog
Production Co: Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg
Genre: Drama, Horror
Original Language: German
Release Date (Theaters): Jun 6, 2023, Limited
Runtime: 1h 22m

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