Death is a Caress (12A*) + Introduction by writer and curator Isabel Stevens

The first Norwegian feature film to be directed by a woman is a splendid male melodrama about Erik, a mechanic (Claus Wiese) who spurns his loyal fiancée for the attractions of glamorous socialite Sonja (Bjørg Riiser-Larsen). Lust turns to resentment, as Erik realises Sonja is a woman he cannot control, and their differences in class threaten to erupt into cruelty and violence.

Edith Carlmar’s debut delivers a frankness about toxic relationships and what happens after passions fade; the spiky exchanges between the leads are reminiscent of Ingmar Bergman. Her visual flourishes create a unique and provocative work that critiques male paranoia, while offering a complex and sometimes empathetic male lead, who makes terrible decisions in his search for love.