''Luzifer'' is a 2021 Austrian

supernatural horror Horror is a genre of fiction which is intended to frighten, scare, or disgust. Horror is often divided into the sub-genres of psychological horror and supernatural horror, which is in the realm of speculative fiction. Literary historian J. A ...

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super-g ...

written and directed by Peter Brunner. Starring Susanne Jensen and

Franz Rogowski Franz Rogowski (; born 2 February 1986) is a German actor and dancer. He has appeared in films directed by Michael Haneke, Christian Petzold and Terrence Malick. Life and career Franz Rogowski was born in 1986 in Freiburg im Breisgau, West Germ ...

, the film centers on a man who lives in a secluded alpine hut with his mother and his pet eagle, their relative peace and faith shattered as strange and increasingly sinister supernatural occurrences begin to unfold around them. The film had its world premiere in August 2021 at the Locarno Filmfestival, before premiering in the United States at Fantastic Fest the following month. There

received the award for the best actor for his role as "Johannes". In October 2021, Rogowski was awarded Best Actor for this role ex-aequo with Caleb Landrey Jones (

Nitram ''Nitram'' is a 2021 Australian biographical film, biographical psychological drama film directed by Justin Kurzel from a screenplay by Shaun Grant. The film revolves around the life and behaviors of a mentally distressed young man called "Nitr ...

) at the Sitges Filmfestival. Also Susanne Jensen was awarded Best Actress for her role as "Maria" ex-aequo with

Noomi Rapace Noomi Rapace (; ; born 28 December 1979) is a Swedish actress.Karen Olsson, ''The New York Times Magazine'', 27 May 2012, p. 26. She achieved international fame with her portrayal of Lisbeth Salander in the Swedish film adaptations of the ''Mil ...

( Lamb) at the Sitges Filmfestival.

Plot

Maria ( Susanne Jensen) lives secluded in the mountains with her mentally handicapped adult son Johannes (

). Her husband died. Their everyday life is determined by religious rituals and familiarity. Johannes' best friend is the eagle Arthur. When the area is to be converted into a ski resort, the devil awakens. Maria tries to protect her son. Faith, trust, powerlessness and childishness become an explosive mixture. Is an exorcism the solution? Where is the devil?

Cast

* Susanne Jensen as Maria *

as Johannes

Reception

Critical response for ''Luzifer'' has been mostly positive, with many critics praising the film for its performances, atmosphere, and mature themes. Noel Murray of ''

Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the Un ...

'' praised Rogowski's performance and cinematograph, calling it "an unflinching,

Werner Herzog Werner Herzog (; born 5 September 1942) is a German film director, screenwriter, author, actor, and opera director, regarded as a pioneer of New German Cinema. His films often feature ambitious protagonists with impossible dreams, people with un ...

-style portrait of people living on society’s fringes".

Awards

* 2021: ''Boccalino d'Oro'' for director Peter Brunner in Locarno Filmfestival * 2021: Best Actor for

(Luzifer and Freaks Out) Fantastic Fest, Austin * 2021: Best Actress for Susanne Jensen ex-aequo with

( Lamb) at

Sitges Film Festival The Sitges Film Festival ( ca, Festival Internacional de Cinema Fantàstic de Catalunya, links=no) is an annual film festival held in Sitges, Spain, specialized in fantasy and horror films, of which it is considered one of the world's foremost in ...

* 2021: Best Actor for

ex-aequo with Caleb Landrey Jones (

) at

* 2022: Best Feature Film at Pendance Film Festival, Toronto, Canada

References

External links

* * {{rotten tomatoes, luzifer 2021 films 2021 drama films 2021 horror films 2020s horror drama films 2020s supernatural horror films Austrian drama films Austrian horror films Demons in film German horror drama films 2020s German-language films German supernatural horror films Religious horror films Supernatural drama films