What begins as a picturesque romance quickly becomes a horrifying nightmare in Cate Shortland’s “Berlin Syndrome.” A newly released international trailer for the thriller introduces us to Clare (Teresa Palmer, “Lights Out”), an Australian photojournalist traveling in Berlin. When she meets Andi (Max Riemelt, “Sense8”), a local man, the two seem poised to rehash “Before Sunrise,” but things go in an entirely unexpected direction.
It’s clear that there’s an instant connection between the two. “People who travel alone are usually in search of something,” Andi observes. And at first it seems like he may be what Clare’s been looking for. The two seem very into each other, but Clare’s time in Berlin is limited. “I wish I could stay,” she tells Andi. Then things take a sinister turn. Clare gradually realizes that Andi has no intention of ever letting her leave him — he’s holding her captive in his remote apartment.
The film made its world premiere at Sundance 2017, where Shortland told us that she wants viewers to reflect on the following questions: “What are we entrapped by? Why, as young women, are we still fed and half-believe the fairy tale of the strong male figure and the erotic fixation with the passive female? What is the nature of obsession and control within our fictions and realities?”
The Australian director’s previous credits include “Somersault” and “Lore.”
“Berlin Syndrome” will open in in select theaters and stream on Netflix sometime in 2017. Check out the intense trailer below.
