Perpetrator

After a series of problematic incidents, young Jonny (Kiah McKirnan) is sent by her father to live with her eccentric Aunt Hildie (Alicia Silverstone). The rebellious student is supposed to be “set straight.” But even at her new school, Jonny rubs people the wrong way. Then, in this ominous-looking town, a series of mysterious cases of missing girls comes to light. Jonny is suddenly confronted with entirely new challenges when, just in time for her 18th birthday, she learns that she is part of a mysterious family legacy involving supernatural powers. These powers allow her to assume the identities of other people and experience their perspectives. With this fascinating yet deeply unsettling ability, Jonny might also be able to get closer to the missing girls—and possibly to the perpetrator... Bright colors, surreal-tinged imagery, and a deliberately gory take on the coming-of-age genre define this empowering body horror film by U.S. avant-garde director Jennifer Reeder. The fact that a girl develops a predatory nature on her 18th birthday is reminiscent of the culturally and historically well-known metamorphosis of humans into vampires—and thus into a new, physical form of power and identity. The parallels become particularly clear through the use of vampiric imagery such as fangs and heightened instincts. Unlike in classic vampire films, however, Reeder’s film does not focus on bloodlust and immortality, but rather on questions of self-empowerment, female identity, and coming of age. The film thus uses the symbolism of the vampire as a metaphor for the experience of transformation and social exclusion. Jennifer Reeder has taken elements of the vampire genre and reinterpreted them for a contemporary, feminist narrative. With their decidedly feminist perspective, Reeder’s works have been featured at numerous international festivals and art exhibitions. “Perpetrator,” with its at times hypnotic allure, premiered in the Panorama section of the Berlinale. Alongside Alicia Silverstone (“Clueless”) as a delightfully quirky aunt, Kaitlyn Dever shines as Jonny with a blend of vulnerability and anarchic energy. “A horror film that incorporates gore elements but focuses more on a disturbing, surreal atmosphere than on simple jump scares, centered around a female coming-of-age and empowerment story. Blood serves as an ambivalent, symbolic motif that speaks to male violence against women, while also thematically linking back to menstruation and the discovery of female strength.” (Lexikon des Internationalen Films)