Details

A convicted criminal is tempted into a hell of a ride through darkness by signs of grace.

Highlights: Clermont-Ferrand IFF | Odense IFF | Pöff Shorts | Krakow FF | Animafest Zagreb | Melbourne IFF | ShortFest Palm Springs | New Zealand IFF

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In His Mercy is an adaptation of the 1893 short story La torture par l'espérance by French writer Auguste de Villiers de L'Isle-Adam: At the time of Spanish Inquisition in Zaragoza a Jew, accused of “usury and great harshness against the poor”, is supposed to achieve his salvation through cruel torture. The hopeful escape attempt, however, represents the actual torture. It is an odyssey that can be interpreted as a symbolic representation of unrestrained abuse of power and limitless arbitrariness towards those who think differently under the guise of a transfigured, even perverted, moral world view to protect one's own position of power.

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Voices/Highlighting

• "One of the most unrelenting pieces we saw this week. It’s a powerful film, but something of a white-knuckle watch.": Animation obsessive | Review: Animation Dingle 202
• "We would like to highlight three other projects [...] In His Mercy by Christoph Büttner for its striking suspense [...]: Animateka | Highlight: 19th Animateka 2022
• "When watching the film, we can feel the struggles and pain of the characters": Kuandu International Animation Festival | Special Mention: KDIAF 2022
• "Impressive animation nominated for First Steps Award": Page Online (german only) | Preview: First Steps Award
• "My personal fave was ‘In his Mercy’, which used impeccably detailed black-and-white line work to a staggering and nightmarish degree suited to its death row setting.": Flicks.co.nz | Review: New Zealand IFF 2022

Interviews

• Tea time with In Seiner Gnade: Clermont-Ferrand ISFF 2022 (other sources: mydylarama.org.uk )

One evening a prison director announces to a convict that he will be executed next day. As by a miracle later at night the cell door opens. Exhausted by endless interrogations, the convict drags on through dark prison corridors. On his odyssey to gain freedom he is tossed back and forth by various mental states: his fear of being discovered, his hope for salvation and moments of sheer madness.

Genre: Animation | Technique: 3D, digital 2D, rotoscoping | Run time: 11m 55s | Color: black and white | Sound: Dolby Surround, Stereo | Master: DCP | Resolution: 4k, 2k | Dialogue: yes | Language: German |  Subtitles: English, Spanish, German | Production: Film University Babelsberg KONRAD WOLF | Year: 2022