Red Rooms: Zeugin des Bösen

An interesting amalgam of character study and courtroom drama, two distant filmmaking styles that synchronically procreate this unique blend, which attempts to elaborate on the concepts of corruptive transgression.

I love how the protagonist was put in a position that could be questioned from a moral point of view but cannot be labeled as good or bad, as her desultory conscience, rather the decisions she makes, places her in a sheath of ambiguity.

Once the film ends and the credits start to roll, all you will be thinking about whether Kelly Anne stood for the right or for the wrong; did she give in and surrender to her deviant infatuation? Or did she finally experienced feelings of guilt and overcome her unhealthy obsession?

I adore it when movies leave questions for the audience to ponder on and "Red Rooms" left aplenty to think about.

I don't know what exactly I was expecting from this movie, but it wasn't what I got (in a good way). This movie really caught me off guard. It starts off with a fascinating 20 minute opening scene (possibly done in one take - I can't be sure on this, but it seemed like it in hindsight) that sets up the whole film and had me hooked right the go. From there, the next 2 hours went by about as quickly as they ever do while watching a film for me.

I've never seen a film hold its cards so close to its chest before. Often when films do this it is more frustrating than anything else. Here, it was captivating. I really had no idea what direction the film was ultimately going to go in.

There is some haunting imagery in this film but it doesn't come in the way you'd expect. Considering the extremely dark subject matter the film actually shows very little, if anything, in the way of torture or graphic horror. Instead the film gets under your skin with the lead character doing some things that need to be seen to be appreciated.

I can't recommend a film like this highly enough. It will have you gripped for 2 hours and then stick with you long after that. 9.5/10.

This was right up my alley as it combined two of my obsessions; serial killers and computers.

A young model with a resemblance to a murdered teenage girl attends the trial of the suspected murderer. She meets a fellow courtroom enthusiast and they a join the maddening crowds at the spectacle.

The suspect is kept in a room within the courtroom and he is kept behind glass.

The model is an internet geek and soon learns of the dark web where supposed snuff films are available at auction for the right price. She hacks her way into that world in order to uncover the missing video of one of the victims.

Red Rooms is a realistic portrayal of the dangers of modern technology.

Elegantly haunting, this film takes a refreshing angle on the serial killer genre and elevates it via subtlety and a sharp, slow knife.

Kelly-Anne is a mysterious lead, as we are taken into her strange and unique world of glamour, gambling, obsession and psychopathy. Accompanied by a fellow, more innocent, 'fan', the two decide to go to the trial of a suspected monster each day out of a morbid sense of curiosity.

There are mesmerising little avenues this film meanders down to keep you gripped, but it's almost impossible to predict the finale. It's a truly refreshing, if gently horrific, take on the dark thriller, as it turns out that it's not just the ones with the blade to look out for, it's also the ones with a keyboard.

This is cerebral, clever, and it is at its scariest when it's at its most direct. This is a film that will stay with you for quite a while. If you want a cheap thrill, don't bother - but if you want something that pushes boundaries in a 'less is more' kind of way - give this a go. Just don't say I didn't warn you ...

I saw 23 films at CIFF & this was my top pick. So thoroughly detailed, from the beginning (seemingly) 1-shot take, to how the story and characters are developed, to the 2 lead actresses (Juliette Gariépy, Laurie Babin) and the entire cast being so believable in their roles. I loved that instead of showing horrific gruesome scenes, you already know and hear the scenes just by seeing the 2 actresses act with their eyes and faces. The depiction of the dark web & related online conversations seems incredibly real. I'm not on the dark web but have been actively engaged since the mid-90s with how people speak online especially using anonymous usernames. The ending did cause intense excited conversations between my friends & I, as to exactly the personality and motives of the main character. As a side note, my friends & I met the director Pascal Plante at CIFF & he was so friendly & humble. I've noticed that the films we enjoyed the most were by the directors who were incredibly humble about their work. Anyhow, this film kept us engaged with every single second.