DidierKonings’simmeringmediaevalhorrorWitteWievenexplorestheconfluenceofreligionandpatriarchyinanexcessivelypuritanicalDutchvillage.Blamedbyhercommunityforbeingchildless,Friedaimmersesherselfinprayerandritual.Whenshereturnsunscathedfromtheforbiddenforestsurroundingthevillage,havingevadedalecherousbutcher,sheiscondemnedasanagentofthedevil.Frieda,however,findsnewfaithinthedarkpowersthatinhabitthewoodsaaa　　Shotinareducedcolourpaletteattheedgeofvisibility,Konings’grippingfilmconstructsaconvincingpre-modernsocietywhosepracticesitelucidateswithpatienceandattention.AlthoughsetintheMiddleAges,WitteWievendisplaysanunmistakablycontemporaryspirit,craftingafeministparableaboutwomendiscoveringnewwaysofunderstandingtheirlivesandtheworld.