British director Peter Strickland’s first feature is an accomplished folk story set in rural Romania.

The heroine Katalin Varga (Hilda Peter) finds herself banished from her village and having to leave her husband when a secret she has been hiding is revealed. And so Katalin heads off in search of retribution with her young son Orban in tow.

After the first showdown you would be forgiven for thinking that the movie might go down a well trodden path but to its credit the movie keeps you guessing with a certain amount of intrigue. The dynamic between Katalin, her son and his father gives the film some real dramatic tension as the three characters interact and deal with their emotions.

The movie was originally made for under €30,000 in its raw format but a lot of credit for the end product must go to Tudor Giurgiu of Bucharest Libra Film who jumped on board to oversee the post production. Visually the movie looks great with the Transylvania shooting location providing a picturesque yet eerie setting. It’s also set to an imaginative score which really adds a fitting dimension with spooky sound effects and haunting music.

Hilda Peter puts in a pretty good performance as the feisty Katalin as does Tibo Palffy who is particularly impressive as the remorseful Antal trying to come to terms with his dark past and the presence of a son he quickly forms a bond with.

An atmospheric well acted out drama.