Directed and co-written by Loïc Tanson (Eldorado (2016); Comeback (TV series, 2013); routwäissgro (TV series, 2015-2018)) and starring Sophie Mousel (Skin Walker (2019); De Buttek (2019); April Skies (2022); Capitani (TV series, 2019-2022)), Timo Wagner (Hinterland (2021); Little Duke (2023); The Racer (2020); Capitani (TV series, 2019-2022)), Jules Werner (Erik Stoneheart (2022); Mammejong (2015); Blind Spot (2012); Capitani (TV series, 2019-2022)) and Marie Jung (Little Duke (2023); Hannah Arendt (2012); Rusty Boys (2017); Capitani (TV series, 2019-2022)).
Western; 122 mins; 16+
Läif a Séil ("The Last Ashes") is set in the north of Luxembourg in the mid-19th century. Graff (Jules Werner) and his family live in the big house / castle and the villagers look up to him as their protector. Young Hélène spots some thieves and alerts the village, with Graff letting them go in return for keeping young Marie as he is intent on fathering more children to keep his bloodline intact for future generations. Young Hélène attracts his disapproval which he takes out on Young Jon (who had helped her) at the end of a brutal opening sequence where she is left for dead.
Fifteen years later and Oona, a grown up Hélène (Sophie Mousel), returns to the village as "the stranger", wise as to the ways of the world, intent on revenge and retribution, against the Graff family. By now, Luxembourg was starting to become industrialised and soldiers were laying tracks for a railway line up to Clervaux. While most of the action took place in and around the Graff home and the village, the soldiers were always nearby in the woods.
Hélène sees Jon (Timo Wagner) and Marie (Marie Jung) but they do not recognise her as she plots Graff's downfall...
A gritty and, at times, brutal western-style film with a solid storyline and good character development.
The cast and crew are starting a nationwide series of avant-premieres at which they are participating in post-screening Q&As.
