Mädchen und der Tod, Das

A young doctor named Nikolai decides to stay in a remote, aristocratic-looking spa hotel during a rainy night. What, at first, seems like a short stop dramatically influences his whole life. Slightly resembling a freak-show, the hotel is full of elderly, fallen and obscure characters, and it’s there that Nikolai meets a beautiful courtesan named Elise, who becomes the love of his life. The start of their passionate relationship is, however, strongly affected by their material background, the society's brutality, and by the threat of a terminal disease which cannot be ignored. The visually fascinating historical melodrama of the Dutch director, Jos Stelling, is remarkable especially for its theatrical stylization and amazing acting performances. (Febiofest)