Victoria Carmen Sonne is mesmerising as Sascha, the girl caught in a gangster’s paradise in “Holiday” Apparatur Film

Victoria Carmen Sonne is mesmerising as Sascha, the girl caught in a gangster’s paradise in “Holiday” Apparatur Film

Probably the film that will generate the most divisive debate among audiences, Isabella Eklöf’s “Holiday” is a slow-burn, distressing yet mesmerising look at the world of organized crime and its calamitous impact on its protagonist.

Sascha, played with perfect intoxicated detachment by Victoria Carmen Sonne, arrives in a Turkish resort to deliver a serious sum of money and to meet up with her boyfriend, drug kingpin Michael (Lai Yde), and his cronies and their partners and children. Michael welcomes her to the “family”, but there is a heavy price to pay.

Menace simmers beneath the surface whenever Michael is on screen and explodes in dramatic and disturbing fashion in a series of scenes that will stay with the viewer for a long time--this is not an easy film to watch and the festival has deemed it suitable for over 18s only.

Watch the teaser to “Holiday”

Holiday | teaser from heretic on Vimeo.

Sascha is often naïve and childlike--one of Michael’s henchmen tells her in no uncertain terms that there are consequences to any transgressions. She joins the other kids watching a cartoon and eating Gummi bears while a nasty beating takes place off-screen; a scene that brings to mind Michael Hanneke. But she also displays sensual self-awareness in a disco scene--a rare use of close-up--dancing with herself in a mirror to Antony and the Johnsons.

Things get complicated and promise even more violence when Sascha befriends Dutchman Tomas (Thijs Römer), who has given up the rat race to sail around on his boat. His free spirit and casual demeanour is in stark contrast to Michael’s rigorous need for discipline and immaculate taste. Yde exudes enigmatic authority as Michael. His calm sense of cool is chilling and he clearly despises losing control--when he does, it has devastating consequences not just for the initial subject of his temper. But his “family” are in awe and loyal, and they endure his abuse as the price they must pay for having found a sense of belonging.

Eklöf, in a stunning feature film debut, manages to infuse this dark story with moments of humour, and her exquisite framing and employment of the sunburnt setting are skilful. “Holiday” is a film that deserves attention.

“Holiday” is being screened at 8.30 p.m. at the Cinémathèque on Monday 26 February.