‘Hysteria’ Review: Religion, Immigration and Ambition Collide on a Movie Shoot in This Shrewdly Scathing German Whodunit

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Picture a merging of the intrigue from ‘Knives Out’ with the cinematic depth of Truffaut’s ‘Day for Night’, but transposed to contemporary Germany, where immigration and Islamic beliefs create an undercurrent of anxiety. This is the premise of Mehmet Akif Büyükatalay’s suspenseful backstage mystery, ‘Hysteria’. The story unfolds when a copy of the Koran is either accidentally or deliberately set ablaze on a film set, stirring up a whirlwind of suspicion and chaos.

The incident unfolds while filming a historical play about the 1993 Soligen arson attack, where a Turkish family of five lost their lives when their home was torched by a group of German skinheads. Büyükatalay employs this actual event as the foundation for an intricately crafted mystery that challenges the ethics of dramatizing real-life violence, making us ponder who benefits from producing such content centered around sensitive issues.

Just as a captivating mystery leaves one pondering the identity of the suspect, we find ourselves questioning the possible culprit among four characters: Could it be Yigit (Serkan Kaya), the director, seemingly concerned with his career and politics yet appearing indifferent at times? Perhaps it’s Lilith (Nicolette Krebitz), the producer, who is determined to make their movie successful no matter what? Or maybe Mustafa (Aziz Çapkurt), an aspiring Muslim refugee filmmaker, hides a dark secret within him? Lastly, could Elif (Devrim Lignau), the young second assistant director, be entangled in this intricate plot more than we initially thought?

In the movie “Hysteria”, Elif is the primary character, and the story follows her perspective. When filming wraps up, she commits a significant blunder. To avoid getting fired, she starts telling one lie after another. However, when footage of a burning Koran mysteriously disappears from Yigit and Lilith’s apartment, Elif must navigate through the situation to save herself while preventing a potential scandal that could derail the entire production.

In his second movie, Büyükatalay presents a well-organized film within a genre that echoes the themes of his 2019 drama “Oray“, which depicted a devout Muslim immigrant community. This time, this community is symbolized by Mustafa and a few refugees working as extras. When they discover a burnt copy of the Koran among the movie props, they become upset due to Yigit’s careless attitude towards something held so sacred.

As a passionate viewer, I’ve come to realize that religion often fuels their rage, but Mustafa sheds light on another aspect: directors like Yigit seem more interested in creating films that cater to Europe’s sense of moral satisfaction, thereby overlooking the harsh realities they should be addressing head-on. The movie “Hysteria” cleverly employs its thriller genre to probe who these immigrant drama narratives ultimately serve, suggesting that it’s seldom for those they claim to protect.

As a devotee putting this into my own words, I’d say: Though Elif is born from Turkish roots, she’s not deeply religious and prefers to steer clear of discussions about her ancestry. At first glance, she seems innocent enough, but Lilith, the producer, perceives her as someone who’ll go to great lengths to succeed in Hollywood. Her actions drive the plot towards an unforeseen conclusion reminiscent of a classic game of Clue, where all characters eventually gather to unmask the culprit and settle their differences.

Setting most of the movie in one apartment, Büyükatalay gets plenty of mileage out of a plot that takes several twists and turns, at times veering into horror territory, at times playing like a classic thriller. The burning Koran provokes suspicions that Elif and the crew could be targeted by terrorists in the manner of Charlie Hebdo, but that becomes another red herring when we realize the true danger lies much more in unfettered ambition.

Filmmaker Christian Kochmann, known for his work on “Oray“, cleverly maintains suspense by incorporating security camera and webcam footage reminiscent of the “Paranormal Activity” series. Contrary to its name, “Hysteria” avoids jump scares and is not a typical slasher movie. Instead, any horror it presents lies in the ways people treat each other; this is evident through interactions between Germans and immigrants, Christians and Muslims, or members of a film crew all competing for recognition.

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2025-02-20 22:56