Requiem

Requiem follows Michaela, a young woman with epilepsy who enrolls in a university education program. She stops taking her medication and soon begins hearing whispers and seeing unsettling visions that urge her to avoid religious objects, even though she remains devoutly Roman Catholic. A skeptical parish priest questions the idea of demon possession, while a younger pastor takes her symptoms seriously enough to arrange an exorcism. As the tense situation unfolds, Michaela's family and doctors debate whether her crisis is medical or spiritual, with fear and doubt pulling them in opposing directions. The film tightens around ordinary rooms and quiet conversations, turning a private struggle into a scrutinized community ordeal. It is told with calm, documentary-like restraint.

Directed by Hans-Christian Schmid, Requiem arrived in 2006 with a screenplay by Bernd Lange. The film translates a troubling real life scenario into a precise German drama focused on internal conflict rather than sensational effects, with a quiet, observational tone that emphasizes character over spectacle.

Box office figures show a modest finish, with a worldwide gross around 99,963 dollars. The limited earnings reflect a restrained release strategy and a film that found audiences primarily through critical word-of-mouth and festival exposure, rather than wide commercial appeal.

Critics praised Requiem for its unflinching handling of faith, illness, and agency. The film probes how belief shapes perception and how families navigate care when medical certainty clashes with spiritual interpretation. Sandra Hüller delivers a measured, restrained performance that anchors the material and lends credibility.

Beyond its immediate drama, Requiem contributed to conversations about mental health and religious authority in contemporary cinema. It challenges viewers to consider how communities respond to vulnerable individuals when medical explanations matter as much as theological ones, leaving a lasting impression of empathy and restraint, even after the credits roll.