A Psychological Chess Game

Read Time:4 Minute, 49 Second

MOVIE REVIEW
Hysteria
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Genre: Drama, Thriller
Year Released: 2025
Runtime: 1h 44m
Director(s): Mehmet Akif Büyükatalay
Writer(s): Mehmet Akif Büyükatalay
Cast: Devrim Lingnau, Mehdi Meskar, Serkan Kaya, Nicolette Krebitz, Aziz Çapkurt
Languages: German, English, Turkish, Arab, Kurdish with English subtitles
Where To Watch: shown at the 2025 Berlin International Film Festival

RAVING REVIEW: This film refuses to let its audience sit comfortably. It builds a world where perception is a battlefield, and truth is a shifting target, pulling its characters—and viewers—into an intricate game of ideology, control, and deception. What starts as a seemingly isolated incident quickly spirals into a tangled web of conflicting histories, where the most dangerous weapon isn’t action but interpretation. At its center is a protagonist forced to navigate a space where every choice—whether to speak or stay silent—holds consequences. The result is a psychological puzzle that never hands over easy answers, demanding engagement rather than passive observation.

This isn’t just about a single event; the film thrives on ambiguity, presenting a scenario where characters interpret the central crisis differently, filtering it through their biases, fears, and convictions. Some see an attack, others an accident; some take it as a statement, while others weaponize it for their ends. The story's brilliance is that the actual incident is barely shown—it doesn’t need to be. What matters is how people react, how assumptions fuel conflict, and how perception, once shaped, is nearly impossible to undo.

This exploration of fractured truth is heightened by a lead character caught in the crossfire. Rather than positioning her as a typical force of change, the film makes her something far more compelling—a person desperately trying to remain neutral in a situation where neutrality is a statement. It’s a performance that hinges on subtlety, with the character’s internal unrest simmering beneath the surface. She’s constantly calculating how she’s being perceived, understanding that her role in the world is dictated less by who she is and more by how others define her.

The cinematography frames characters in enclosed spaces, trapping them within the limitations of their ideological bubbles. Shadows, blurred reflections, and fragmented perspectives create an atmosphere of paranoia, reinforcing the idea that truth is elusive and often distorted. Sound design is equally important, layering dialogue in ways that create intentional dissonance. Conversations overlap, voices are cut off mid-thought, and silence is just as unsettling as any word spoken.

Rather than following a conventional thriller structure, the film leans into commentary without becoming preachy. The question at its core—who controls the narrative?—feels particularly relevant in an era where information is constantly manipulated, reframed, and spun to fit predetermined perspectives. The filmmaker crafts a story that resists easy categorization. This isn’t a film designed to explain—it assumes its audience is already aware of the world’s complexities. Instead, it challenges them to consider how they engage with it.

The film’s performances are another standout element, with each actor bringing a restrained intensity to their roles. The tension is in the moments between words, in the hesitations, glances, and weight of unspoken thoughts. The ensemble works in sync with the film’s atmosphere, creating a world where every conversation feels like a negotiation and every exchange tests loyalty and understanding.

Many stories build toward resolution, some moment of finality that brings clarity. This film does the opposite. Just when it feels like an answer might emerge, the narrative shifts again, leaving the audience in the same state of uncertainty as its characters. That sense of lingering ambiguity is deliberate, forcing viewers to sit with their discomfort and recognize that some conflicts can’t be neatly resolved.

The film is a masterclass in controlled tension. Editing choices add to disorientation; dialogue is sharp without being heavy-handed, and every element, from cinematography to score, is meticulously crafted to support the film’s themes without overwhelming them.

This film doesn’t just ask its audience to watch—it asks them to participate. It challenges assumptions, disrupts comfort zones, and refuses to let anyone leave unaffected. At a time when ideological divides seem sharper than ever, it forces a hard look at how people engage with conflict, how narratives are shaped, and how dangerous it is when belief overtakes fact. It’s not just about the events depicted on screen; it’s about our world and the narratives we choose to embrace.

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[photo courtesy of FILMFAUST GMBH, ZDF / DAS KLEINE FERNSEHSPIEL, PLUTO FILM]

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