- Rebecca Romijn is Hunted in ENDANGERED SPECIES [Trailer]
- Emilia Clarke vs The FBI in ABOVE SUSPICION [Trailer]
- Emilia Clarke vs The FBI in ABOVE SUSPICION [Trailer]
- Ben Wheatley Returns with IN THE EARTH [Trailer]
- Ben Wheatley Returns with IN THE EARTH [Trailer]
- Josh Hartnett is Memorable in Drug Drama INHERIT THE VIPER [Review]
- Cube Meets Saw in MEANDER Trailer from Mathieu Turi
- EIFF 2019: ANIARA is a Deeply Haunting Sci-Fi Experience [Review]
- BERLINALE 2021: TIDES Comes After Hell [Trailer]
- EIFF 2019: ANIARA is a Deeply Haunting Sci-Fi Experience [Review]
- Re: Occupation, Australian Sci Fi movie
- Slice of Life, Blade Runner inspired short
- Is Snowpeircer a sequel to Willy Wonka?
- Re: Yesterday
- Re: Yesterday
- Yesterday
- Re: White Night (or where do I get my 30 + from now?)
- Re: White Night (or where do I get my 30 + from now?)
- Re: White Night (or where do I get my 30 + from now?)
- Re: White Night (or where do I get my 30 + from now?)
- Don't Mess With the SCAVENGER [Trailer]
- BERLINALE 2021: TIDES Comes After Hell [Trailer]
- LUNATIQUE Director Returns with WASTELAND 3 Promo [Short Film]
- A Comet Destoys Earth in GREENLAND Trailer
- Interactive WAR OF THE WORLDS Adaptation Out Now!
- 8K Trailer for Train to Busan Sequel PENINSULA Drops Hard!
- Making a Bomb Shelter in a Funhouse is a Bad Idea in IMPACT EVENT [Trailer]
- Retro Slave: FOX's Post-Apocalyptic Sitcom WOOPS!
- TRAIN TO BUSAN Sequel PENINSULA Gets a Teaser Trailer
- New on Blu-ray and DVD for March 11, 2020
- The Apocalypse Kills Women in ONLY [Trailer]
- SATOR is a Welcome Addition to the Folk Horror Canon [Review]
- Women in Horror Month: NEAR DARK
- SOUTHLAND TALES: The Cannes Cut [Review]
- A Woman's Mind Unravels in BIGHT HILL ROAD [Review]
- TIFF 2020: Vanlife Gets a Reality Check in NOMADLAND [Review]
- TIFF 2020: APPLES, THE WAY I SEE IT, PIECES OF A WOMAN & ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI [Capsule Reviews]
- TIFF 2020: The Truth Tellers Return with THE NEW CORPORATION: THE UNFORTUNATELY NECESSARY SEQUEL [Review]
- TIFF 2020: NEW ORDER is Brutal, Violent & a Must-See [Review]
- TIFF 2020: ENEMIES OF THE STATE, Or Are They? [Review]
- TIFF 2020: HOLLER Explores Life in a Dying Town [Review]
- Neil Marshall Returns with Witch Trial Horror THE RECKONING [Clip]
- BRADEN DUEMMLER Talks Writing, Casting & Creep Meter in WHAT LIES BELOW [Interview]
- MONSTER HUNTER Coming for Christmas [Trailer]
- Lynne Ramsay Set to Direct Stephen King Adaptation [News]
- Split Personality Thriller MINOR PREMISE Coming Soon [Trailer]
- Who Hunts Who in HUNTER HUNTER? [Trailer]
- SKYLINES Is Coming! [Poster Premiere]
- Enter for Your Chance to Win a Blu-Ray Copy of 2067 [Contest]
- Saskatoon Fantastic Film Festival Returns with In-Person Event [Line Up]
- Family Drama & Creature Feature. WHAT LIES BELOW Brings Both? [Trailer]
- LUNATIQUE Director Returns with WASTELAND 3 Promo [Short Film]
- Producer Adrienne Biddle on Horror, Working with Bryan Bertino & Their Latest THE DARK AND THE WICKED [Interview]
- Joe Manganiello is a Washed Up Superhero in ARCHENEMY [Trailer]
- Nightstream Horror Festival Launches Next Week [Lineup]
- 2067 Director Talks Inspiration, Environment & Time Travel [Interview]
- THE STRANGERS Director Returns with THE DARK AND THE WICKED [Trailer]
- Michael Shannon is Crime Boss in ECHO BOOMERS [Trailer]
- Hair Extensions Get Horrific in BAD HAIR [Trailer]
- TIFF 2020: Vanlife Gets a Reality Check in NOMADLAND [Review]
- VIFF 2020: Sobriety, Reintegration & Telekinesis Come Together in THE CURSE OF WILLOW SONG [Interview]
Jack In
Latest Comments
Latest Forum Posts
PA News
Latest Reviews
Older News
Crew
Marina Antunes
Editor in Chief
Vancouver, British Columbia
Christopher Webster
Managing Editor
Edmonton, Alberta
DN aka quietearth
Founder / Asst. Managing Editor
Denver, Colorado
Simon Read
UK Correspondent
Edinburgh, Scotland
Rick McGrath
Toronto Correspondent
Toronto, Ontario
Manuel de Layet
France Correspondent
Paris, France
rochefort
Austin Correspondent
Austin, Texas
Daniel Olmos
Corrispondente in Italia
Italy
Griffith Maloney aka Griffith Maloney
New York Correspondent
New York, NY
Stephanie O
Floating Correspondent
Quiet Earth Bunker
Jason Widgington
Montreal Correspondent
Montreal, Quebec
Carlos Prime
Austin Correspondent
Austin, TX
Latest news







Year: 2007
Release date: Unknown
Director: Dimitri Karakatsanis
Writer: Dimitri Karakatsanis
IMDB: link
Trailer: link
Review by: cyberhal
Rating: 7.9 out of 10
I'm not sure if I understand everything about this film, but I really liked it. It's an artsy foreign movie, but in the best possible sense – beautiful, dark, hard to figure out, and full of interesting but deranged characters. Small Gods weighs in at 65 minutes and is the first feature film of Belgian writer/director Dimitri Karakatsanis. The film won him a special mention at the Flanders International Film Festival in 2007, and was an official selection at the International Film Festival Rotterdam.
Elena (Steffi Peters) is recovering in hospital after a car crash when she's kidnapped by the mysterious David. He takes her on a road trip across the dark winter countryside of Belgium. For most of the trip she's in a semi-drugged state from her medicine. Along the way, they pick up Sara, a silent type who carries around a child's doll in a clear plastic bag. We meet up with various whacked-out characters, including an old boxer and a deranged prophet.


The director feeds us information slowly, drop by drop. After a while, we learn that Elena was responsible for her son's death in the car crash. Much later, we find out that her father physically abused her when she was younger. As the story climaxes, and the trio come face to face with Elena's father, we finally learn that tracking him was the purpose of the journey. David (Titus de Voogdt), has decided that the father must be made to pay for his sins. And man, does he pay.
The performances in this film are impressive. Steffi Peters as she struggles with memory loss to understand what's happened to her. The lawyer (Dick van Dijck) as he questions Elena to try and find out the truth in a world of confusion and crime. I loved Titus de Voogdt's portrayal of David: part Healer, part Saviour, part Psychopath.
The cinematography is right on the money. Dark landscapes reflect dark emotions. Most of the colors drained right out. Sometimes the bright sun shines through the clouds and blinds us. Many scenes take place at night, with campfires or gas lamps, the light emphasizing the blackness. What I really enjoyed was the whole blurry POV style that took me right into the drugged/confused mind of Elena. I thought the soundtrack fit perfectly as well, a woman singing a haunting acoustic ballad in a random foreign language; electronic distortion; some intense sound focus on small events, like drumming fingers, very David Lynch.


Often in this movie, I wasn't sure what was true and what were Elena's drugged out dreams. For example, the old Boxer who offers David "a wish" if David can beat him in a fist fight. Is this a David-flashback? Or is it Elena's mind playing tricks? Time, dreams and reality mix up to the point where it's hard to untangle them. But maybe that's the point, maybe that's exactly what Elena's life is all about. Small Gods was released in Belgium in January 2008 and it deserves a wider distribution. I totally recommend this film.
You might also like







dimitri Karakatsanis (11 years ago) Reply
DVD SMALL GODS IS OUT NOW!