Essential Cinema

Possession
Directed by Andrzej Żuławski
Thursday, October 31, 6 pm | BUY TICKETS

$12 | $8 Speed members

“One of the most grueling, powerful, and overwhelmingly intense cinematic experiences that you are likely to have in your lifetime.” —Peter Sobczynski, RogerEbert.com

Banned upon its original release in 1981, Andrzej Żuławski’s stunningly choreographed nightmare of a marriage unraveling is an experience unlike any other. Professional spy Mark (Sam Neill) returns to his West Berlin home to find his wife Anna (Isabelle Adjani, in a role that earned her Best Actress at Cannes) insistent on a divorce. As Anna’s frenzied behavior becomes ever more alarming, Mark discovers a truth far more sinister than his wildest suspicions.

With its pulsating score, visceral imagery, and some of the most haunting performances ever captured on screen, Possession is cinematic delirium at its most intoxicating. 1981, France/West Germany, DCP, 124 minutes. Recommended for 16+.