In an isolated farmhouse, a woman (Stephanie Breton) struggles to remember where her husband has gone. She would go looking, but her two guardians (Julie Trépanier and Anana Rydvald) are warning her to stay where she is. Do not leave the house, do not wander outside, and whatever she does: stay away from the barn.

Boosted by some beautiful monochrome photography and a deeply unsettling tone, Emptiness is the fifth feature by Turkish-Québécois filmmaker Onur Karaman. While it feels broadly familiar, resembling any number of isolated domestic and supernatural thrillers, a combination of strong performances and a sleek black-and-white aesthetic ensure a satisfying, engaging journey into a nightmarish world of paranoia.

Central to the film is Stephanie Breton as Suzanne.  Karaman’s film deliberately withholds a lot of information from its audience; so much so that the only thing Suzanne has to establish the audience’s trust is Breton’s acting. She is fearful of the outside world, but is drawn to it – particularly the barn outside – and at the same time grows to distrust her apparent carers. Suspicious creaks and bumps seem to emanate from every corner. With the film using a limited budget and modest effects, it is down to Breton to sell the more supernatural and chilling elements of the film.

Trépanier and Rydvald are similarly strong, offering two distinct and separate characters that seem believable, and yet constantly hint at elements and motivations hidden from Suzanne’s view. They help to ensure the film maintains its tension and uneasy tone throughout – as does its tight running time.

It seems something of a cliché for a film to up its atmosphere by shooting in black and white, but the fact is it is a cliché because it works. Karaman, working with cinematographer Tom McNamara, infuses the isolated house with atmosphere, sophistication and menace. Key uses of red puncture the monochrome set-up, and work to enhance the story. Perhaps sadly, it is the story that is the film’s weakest element: it works to an extent, but it is the acting and the photography doing the heavy lifting here. There is a visible influence of Roman Polanski’s early work throughout, but to Karaman’s credit there is still plenty of room for his to exert his own style. The screenplay may not draw audiences back for a second viewing, but Emptiness remains a paranoid trip worth taking.

Emptiness is screening at the 2023 Fantasia Film Festival. Click here for more information.