‘Thunder’ Director Carmen Jaquier On Her Bold, Surprising International Oscar Submission [VIDEO]

Feature film debuts are rarely as bold and surprising as Carmen Jaquier’s arresting work, Thunder, Switzerland’s International Feature Oscar Submission. The storytelling isn’t new, but the manner in which she tells it and many of the ideas she poses are fascinating and original. Like Jane Campion did with The Piano in 1993, Jaquier creates her own cinematic universe. And it’s wondrous.

Thunder is set in the summer of 1900 in a remote Swiss village and centers on 17-year-old Elisabeth (gifted Lilith Grasmug) who was sent to a nunnery at age 12 (too many girls in the family) and is now summoned home to work on the family farm. Upon arrival, she discovers that her beloved older sister is dead, labeled a whore by the townsfolk and local priest who refers to her as a “Servant of Satan,” because she dared to explore her sexuality.

Elisabeth soon finds her late sister’s journal and starts her own sexual and sensual quest, along with three curious local boys (Mermoz Melchior, Benjamin Python, Noah Watzlawick—all terrific). The repressed locals are not please and attempt to destroy the new bond these youths have created.

Jaquier lovingly films the intimate scenes, queer-inclusive, as a natural, even divine, exploration. With the tyranny of the parental world looming, they find a place to be together.

The film takes religious extremism (in this case the Catholic Church) to task for its suffocating, repressed teachings that sow seeds of rage, jealousy, shame, and contempt instead of harmony, generosity, desire and love.

Born in Geneva, Switzerland, Jaquier studied graphic design. She made a few shorts and worked as a DP on a few films before embarking on Thunder, which is currently playing at the IFC Center in NYC via Dekanalog and will open in Los Angeles soon. Vanessa Kirby and Lauren Dark have just joined the Thunder Team as Executive Producers.

Awards Daily was delighted to Zoom chat with Jaquier about this gem.