Filicide-as a Means of Revenge Against a Partner

A feature-length documentary from Croatia about a very dark subject: filicide, a parent killing their own child. This film is written and directed by Bartul Marusic.

Via news reports, interviews and a variety of other methods, this feature looks into the tragic and sinister world of filicide, investigating the statistics and asking why people around the world would commit such heinous acts.

The devastating reality of these terrible occurrences is harshly brought to light by the news reports of numerous parents who committed felicide, including Tranyelle Harshman, an American woman. who shot her four daughters, Harald Kopitz, an Austrian who murdered his three children and Susan Smith, a woman convicted of murdering her two sons in South Carolina.

The documentary tries hard to comprehend the causes that drive people to commit such unspeakable acts, which seem to take place globally. As the title suggests, revenge appears to be a common motive, one that can be sparked by a number of reasons, including adultery. Divorce is another possible cause and so is mental health issues.

The film contains eerie music and a selection of good songs. There are clips from Minority Report and Liar Liar, with the evident intention of emphasising a point. Generally, the quality of the image looks poor and that affecrs the viewing negatively. There are sections where things turn into a music video, such as a sequence involving computer animation depicting dancing babies and a black-and-white part with people singing. These parts seem awkward and unnecessary, making the viewing overlong.

Due to its subject matter, this documentary is not for everyone. It is an ominous and poignant viewing experience and its biggest strength is the fact that it raises awareness of filicide.