Folk horror becomes folk fantasy in Alex Schaad’s transformative philosophical tale of finding contentment in oneself. Young couple Leyla (Mala Emde) and Tristan (Jonas Dassler) travel to a remote island to visit Leyla’s old friend Stella (Edgar Selge). The pair are there to participate in an usual ritual that allows people to see the world through someone else’s eyes (literally).
From the outset Skin Deep screams Midsommar. The residents of the community have that same overly friendly attitude and talk of the strange ritual-to-come arouses the same level of mistrust. However, Alex Schaad’s story is very different; it focuses on identity and being comfortable in the body you choose. Whilst initially Leyla and Tristan appear to be happy in their relationship, it isn’t long into their experiment that cracks begin to show. Insecurities long buried come to the surface and as their journey unfolds the two find themselves at opposite ends of the experience. Leyla fully embraces her new life, liberated from both her body and, in turn, her problems. Tristan is immediately uncomfortable however, and withdraws early on, leaving himself to wrestle with his feelings about Leyla’s newfound happiness. On one hand he is delighted to see her so jubilant, but on the other he begins to question what that means for them as a couple.
Chapter points have become a common narrative structural technique, particularly in independent films. For many it serves to be nothing more than a gimmick, but in Skin Deep their inclusion is a vital source of information. Rather than be named chapter one, two, etc., each title card explains where (or whom) Leyla and Tristan are. Although conveyed via the performances, these little diagrams help identify each configuration of characters as following them all becomes tricky in places.
While the chapter points help keep track of who’s who, it is the stellar work of Schaad’s cast that makes it so easy to follow. The complexities of the script from Alex Schaad and co-writer Dimitrij Schaad (who also stars in the film as Mo) is superbly rendered by the core quintet of actors. Hard work has gone into seamlessly portraying both Leyla and Tristan. The group have spent time together working on getting to the core of who Leyla or Tristan are, and in doing so laid solid guidelines for each to follow. Skin Deep is one of those stories that melts your brain. Despite being played by several different actors, the performances are so in sync that you hardly notice that the vessels have changed.
A modern day fantasy, Skin Deep explores gender identity in an innovative way. There haven’t been many, if any, body swap movies like this before, the emphasis being on finding the body that works for you. Schaad’s exploration is delicate, elegant, and above all, honest. Skin Deep embraces gender fluidity in the most graceful of ways, stripping any elements of sensationalisation, and presenting it as what it is, a natural way of life for some. Skin Deep mirrors the journey of Leyla and Tristan, which in turn imitates the life-cycle of the butterfly. In the beginning they enjoy a meandering status quo before being thrust into the chrysalis that is fraught with ugliness and loneliness. Finally though, their relationship emerges as something heartfelt and as beautiful as a butterfly. A complicated and more grounded riff on Being John Malkovich, Skin Deep is unflinchingly unique. Truly stunning, Schaad tells an emotive musing on what it means to love oneself and another. Intoxicating and dizzying, Skin Deep is the sort of film that sneakily drills deep to the emotional core, connecting with the viewer at their soul.
Skin Deep
Summary
A story of transformation, love and acceptance, Skin Deep is the kind of film that doesn’t come along very often. An astute direction from Alex Schaad and committed and collaborative performances from the core cast help Skin Deep to excel.
Skin Deep was reviewed at Glasgow Film Festival 2023.
