Vera's coat

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Movie
Original title Vera's coat
Country of production Germany
original language German
Publishing year 2018
length 111 minutes
Age rating FSK 12
Rod
Director Ronald Unterberger
script Ronald Unterberger
production Ronald Unterberger
camera Moritz von Dungern
occupation

Karoline Fritz & Lea Faßbender 2016

Vera's Mantel is a German mystery thriller by Austrian director Ronald Unterberger , which premiered on February 12, 2017 at the Boddinale Film Festival in Berlin. In the USA the film was shown for the first time at the Gasparilla International Film Festival 2017 and in 2018 in North Carolina it received the "Board of Directors Award".

The film was released on March 15, 2018 on Prime Video .

Vera's coat is about a successful author who suffers from agoraphobia and cannot leave her house. When she is threatened by a sinister fan, Vera gradually discovers the secret of her illness.

action

Vera Godin, a beautiful and successful writer, suffers from agoraphobia, an illness that prevents her from leaving her home. Nevertheless, when she gets up at night and shivers, she wears a coat in the house that she got from Barbara, her loyal publisher and friend. Barbara and Vera's husband Erik worry about a fanatical admirer who is writing threatening letters and besieging the house. Even a guard assigned by the police cannot protect Vera from the harassment of the fanatic.

When the situation comes to a head, Vera appears in the house, an emaciated, eerie woman who does not respond to her speech and disappears again as unexpectedly as she appears. Erik, who is becoming more and more skeptical, does not believe in ghosts, but in Vera's exaggeration and is more worried about the stalker. Vera looks for the woman in the house and discovers a hidden room in the basement, in which she finds the records of a woman who was apparently held there earlier.

Vera's already unstable world is getting more and more upside down when she is convinced by evidence that her husband Erik is having an affair with another woman. The threats intensified the following night. As the last remaining confidante, Vera calls Barbara for help, who in turn informs Inspector Korell, who is a friend.

All protagonists are in the house. Vera's perception shifts and she realizes her true identity as that of the creepy woman who seemed so horrible to her. The superintendent is in truth her doctor and her publisher Barbara is her equally fanatical mother, who has encouraged Vera since childhood that she was a successful author. Released by this realization, Vera can finally leave her house.

theme

Vera's cloak only superficially refers to the cloak that Vera gets put on by her publisher at the beginning of the plot and which, parallel to the slowly becoming fragile reality around Vera, is getting more and more holey. Only at the end of the film does it become clear that this refers to the illusory world that Vera has built up in her head to protect herself from the outside world. In slow, sedate and elegant images, the film tells of a dream that is more beautiful than reality. Only through the holes and tears in the coat does the horror of reality flash through. The tension arises from the appearance of the woman to the dissolution at the end, in which the entire film is told again from back to front. Everything seen in the action is reevaluated by the turning point at the end and given a new meaning. To be a star as a life plan. Vera's mantle is based on this idea of ​​a desired self in relation to actual development. The principle “hold on to your dreams”, the target projection as a substitute for religion. Belief in yourself or in what you are trying to achieve. The fear of not making it and the process of realizing failure. Self-denial and the horror of true identity appearing like a terrifying ghost.

Quotes

“The greatest horror in a success-oriented society, failure, presented through the ideal that turns out to be more and more uncertain, from the slow dissolution to the transformation into a horror picture. The various wrong tracks lead to an allegorical scenario in which death is not the fear of the genre, but social decline. "

“The idea is to portray this fear in a simple, archetypal story. A fairy tale in which characters and objects are symbols for the state in which one has knowingly put oneself. The confrontation with this fear, only possible in a humble attitude, which is necessary to recognize the nuances in which the transition to the outside becomes possible. "

- Ronald Unterberger

Location

The film was shot in the Bauhaus villa “ Haus Dr. Erstich ”by Konrad Wachsmann , built in 1929 in Jüterbog , Brandenburg .

Awards and nominations

Reviews

Despite the polarizing reception, the film was largely received positively. In particular, the cool atmosphere, which has a significant impact on the film due to the historic building and the Bressonian direction, were highlighted as positive. The film also shows people in their mechanical interpersonal relationships, as if they seem trapped in aspic. Together, this results in a depressing picture of a society shaped by narcissism , and in connection with the individual possibilities of interpreting the plot, Vera's coat goes further than other mystery thrillers and sets itself apart positively from the themes customary in the genre.

“Who is this woman who suddenly finds her way into Vera's house and life? Actually, there is a lot of evidence that the new roommate could be some kind of house spirit. With increasing frequency she appears, this enigmatic pale-faced woman, only to cross Vera's path with an expressionless look and a laborious walk. Again and again Vera traces the nameless person with fear and curiosity, observes the catatonic who so often remains in the corners of the room and begins to research her past, documented in diary entries. What the dusty leaves found in their own cellar shed testify to is oppressive. Vera's friend and publisher cry tears when she quotes from the records of her house ghost. With the approach to the painful story of the strangers, the plot now leaves the apparently haunted house film trail more and more clearly. The reality of our main character goes through a rapid decomposition process. Previously reliable and supportive caregivers seem hostile to her - have they allied themselves against Vera? When the dividing lines between ghost, madness and staging have become completely unrecognizable, Vera's reluctant efforts to keep control of her safe little world disappear and she takes off her coat. Enthusiastic 5 stars for this film. It is to be hoped that Ronald Unterberger will soon enrich the film landscape with more exciting projects. "

“I looked at the reviews of this film and also the terms that were sometimes used there. It's always such a thing when you use these terms in a review because you should always keep in mind that the people reading these reviews do not know the author or his preferences. Therefore, something can be suggested through these simple terms that the film is actually not in its entirety. Actually, I have to say clearly to all fans of thrillers, psychological thrillers and mystery, inform yourself before you see the film, because that can be a big letdown from this point of view of ignorance. To get an impression, I recommend visiting the website of Sophia Lund, who was significantly involved in this film project. You can already get an impression of what this is about and in which way the film was produced. But now to the film itself, which I consider to be very good and surprising in its portrayal, because it breaks with many conventions in order to convey a feeling and sensation that is uncomfortable with conventional means. For some, the film will be very difficult to understand, even at the beginning, because you have to get used to this film for a few minutes, and in my opinion that is intentional. In this review I write almost nothing about the plot, but rather what happens around the plot, because then you get into the film much better. Sophia Lund comes from the field of theater and design and that is very important to know for this film in order to understand the form of the film. Nothing has been left to chance here. Again, the film is a design-style psychological cinematographic art project. If you don't believe it, here are just a few examples: Vera and her husband's house has special features, every room is painted in a different color. Vera's study is yellow and, according to the theory of colors, stands for the intellect, the bedroom is blue and stands for relaxation and peace and, for example, green for the mysterious in the hallway. All colors have their own meaning and sensation. The film breaks this convention, because actually all these colors are positive. That is blown up by the design of the rooms. Hardly any room really has a lot of furniture and the furniture is almost all angular. There are hardly any curves and the entire house is made up of corners and edges. Every room also seems empty and almost devoid of life. The warm colors are combined with a cold environment and this creates a very strange but crucial feeling of cold and uncomfortable for the film. Although it is Vera's home and she is tied to her house by her agoraphobia, the house actually has all the components that make this phobia even worse. All rooms are large and bright, the windows are huge and there are no curtains on the windows. Actually, this house is a pure nightmare for such people (light, cold, high, wide, deep). Many reviews write of a thriller. Even if I cannot assign this film to the thriller genre, Sophia Lund and director Ronald Unterberger use the stylistic devices of a psychological nightmare, which some call a thriller. But here, too, the conventions are broken again. The backdrop presents the viewer with an uncomfortable picture, which is even reinforced by the camera settings. In terms of film technology, a lot of attention is paid to breadth and depth. As a result, Vera is lonely and helpless in the face of her own wide nightmare in her own house. Means of the conventional thriller are also used, but here with a very important difference, almost the entire film takes place in the light of day, there is hardly any darkness in the film or artificial film lighting, the colors are all milky and you have a contrast almost completely waived. This makes the whole scene disturbing, which visually intensifies Vera's anxiety. When Vera faces her stalker fan and they are only separated by the huge window pane, then the outside is just as far as the sparse inside. The film almost completely dispenses with background music, because no tension should be created by music, here the backdrop should only affect the viewer. I already said at the beginning that those involved have a lot to do with theater projects and this is also noticeable in the film. The dialogues are almost like from a play and the entire scene looks like a staged theater. Think about this term when you see the end of the film, because this term and this effect are crucial for the end. Everyone appears, acts and speaks as if they were playing a part in Vera's play. That should be enough to get into the film well and is also sufficient for the thriller fans to explain that this is not a conventional thriller. For me this film remains a psychological art project in the form of a play. That doesn't have to be bad, but you should know beforehand what to expect. Finally, a note about the cover, because this cover is a very bad choice in relation to the film. It is based on the thrillers 'Mama', 'The Forbidden Key' or 'Case 39' and this film doesn't belong there at all. So please don't let the cover fool you. Conclusion: A very interesting film with an acclimatization phase, which is presented in a completely wrong guise. But if you want to get involved in something new and very unusual, you should definitely get involved with this project. For those interested in psychology, this film is a very insightful cinematic experience. I consciously use the term film project, because for me it better describes the film than the term psychological thriller. "

"Vera's coat translated into English means 'Vera's Coat.' If one sees the coat as a protection device against the elements, this title makes sense. This is a very intense and fast-paced film about a young, new and successful author who suffers from agoraphobia. It is her phobia that is the focus of this movie, and how it affects her and the people around her. The entire movie is filmed inside the Haus Dr Estrich, a historic building in Berlin-Brandenburg built in the classic-modern style popular in the 1930s. This gives the movie an added sense of claustrophobia, as any attempts for Vera to step outside is rewarded with a blinding punch back into the building. The viewer is accosted by Vera's reality and her fantasy, and one isn't always clear what is what. Her fears consume her and those close to her: her husband Erik, Bruno the investigator, and Barbara her close confidante, but we only learn until much later their true meaning. Acting is convincingly solid, even by the ghostly apparition played by Karolina Fritz. This movie had me sitting on the edge of my seat for the duration of this film. This film is a fine example of German psychological thriller. "

"I rarely give movies five stars, but this one was superb. The tension never let up, the acting was excellent, and the claustrophobic setting and camera work made the whole film very creepy. It's also rare to find a truly frightening horror / mystery film that doesn't have a plot such as, 'after the death of their child a couple goes to a cabin in the woods' or' to fix their crumbling marriage, John and Mary take a vacation and end up fighting for their lives. ' One aspect of many non-US movies (this one is German) is that their directors never forget that film is a visual medium. They don't rush through the story using one-dimensional characters. The house in this film is as much a character as the people; it reminded me of some of the German Expressionist films of the early 20th century. A true according to "

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b Vera's coat. In: Boddinale. Retrieved February 12, 2017 .
  2. ↑ a b Festival premiere for “Vera's coat”. In: Märkische Allgemeine Zeitung. Retrieved February 7, 2017 .
  3. ↑ a b Vera's coat. In: Gasparilla Int'l Film Festival. Retrieved March 4, 2017 .
  4. ↑ a b Film shot at the festival in Jüterbog. In: Märkische Allgemeine Zeitung. Retrieved March 3, 2017 .
  5. ↑ a b Veras Mantel - Board of Directors Award. In: North Carolina Film. Retrieved January 16, 2018 .
  6. ↑ Vera's coat. In: Amazon Prime Video - de. Retrieved March 15, 2018 .
  7. ↑ Vera's coat. In: facebook. Retrieved April 14, 2016 .
  8. ↑ Vera's coat - press kit - p. 2 .
  9. ↑ Vera's coat - press kit - p. 6 .
  10. ↑ a b Vera's coat - press kit - p. 4 .
  11. ↑ Thriller “Vera's Coat” in preparation. In: Märkische Allgemeine Zeitung. Retrieved May 5, 2015 .
  12. ↑ Ronald Unterberger shoots “Vera's Coat”. Retrieved May 24, 2018 .
  13. ↑ Wachsmann's first house. In: Vimeo. Retrieved April 9, 2018 .
  14. ↑ Ibizacine Festival. Retrieved September 24, 2018 .
  15. ↑ a b eye & ear media. Retrieved February 7, 2018 .
  16. ^ Nepal American Int'l Film Festival. Retrieved May 20, 2018 .
  17. ↑ Interview. In: Boddinale. Retrieved February 12, 2018 .
  18. ↑ Pink Moon: Prime Video - de. Retrieved August 8, 2018 .
  19. ↑ Karsten Lemke: Prime Video - de. Retrieved May 24, 2018 .
  20. ↑ Connie: Prime Video - com. Retrieved April 23, 2018 .
  21. ↑ Brandy: Prime Video - com. Retrieved April 14, 2018 .