In Anna Hints’ strange but surprisingly mesmerizing documentary, a group of Estonian women chat in a traditional smoke sauna called Vana Võromaa, a UNESCO protected area. Naked, bathing and talking about everything from birth to marriage to terminal illness, the film’s themes are highly original and downright ordinary: original in the way they are portrayed on screen, ordinary in what they discuss. This combination creates an intimate and touching experience.
Thanks to the complex cinematography of Ants Tammik, Black Sauna Sisterhood beautifully framed – almost choreographically, although inartistically – by the sculpted bodies of women, sometimes in semi-darkness, usually with dripping condensation, naked. There is no sensuality or awkwardness in the picture: only fleshy, natural bodies, postpartum bellies, swaying breasts, ribcages, hips.
The camera often rests statically on damp kneecaps or wet strands of hair. You often don’t know who is speaking and when—Tammik films them too abstractly—but this allows you to show even greater solidarity towards them. It’s touching, candid, and relevant: From miscarriage to marriage to the whole concept of “dick pics,” these women have more in common with each other—and us—than not.
The premise is not complicated; In fact, the film’s structure is so simple that, aside from its steady, relentlessly leisurely pace, it drags a little in places. But this is where his strength lies. A group of women of all ages and backgrounds spend time detoxifying themselves from physical and psychological toxins in this ancient smoke sauna, known in historical times for its importance as a place where women gave birth and prepared their bodies for burial.
There is spiritual strength in previous generations of women. However, Hints does not point to this history. She just lets it permeate the mood like smoke in the air. The wet footprints, loose towels, meditative chants and loud laughter of the women in the film give us a unique relevance by their very presence.
Source: I News
I am Mario Pickle and I work in the news website industry as an author. I have been with 24 News Reporters for over 3 years, where I specialize in entertainment-related topics such as books, films, and other media. My background is in film studies and journalism, giving me the knowledge to write engaging pieces that appeal to a wide variety of readers.