Written and directed by Anna Hints, in the darkness of a smoke sauna, women share their innermost secrets and intimate experiences, washing off the shame trapped in their bodies and regaining their strength through a sense of communion.
There are some documentaries that strive to investigate, to uncover and to peel back the complexities, then there are some like Smoke Sauna Sisterhood where there’s no need to dig because everything is out in the open. Anna Hints is welcoming viewers into this tight-knit community, and for anyone watching, it should be an honour to be invited because getting to be a part of their conversation is a pleasure.
We live in an age where the intricacies and obstacles of being a woman are finally beginning to get real airtime, whether it be America Ferrera’s speech in Barbie or shows like Shrill and Insecure. The conversation is becoming more open and honest, which is exactly what you find in Smoke Sauna Sisterhood. It’s naked in every sense of the word, embracing a sincere and engaging intimacy.
It embraces that feel of the ritual that comes along with the sauna in many cultures, there’s a strong feel of heritage and tradition. That’s helped by Hints’ choice to employ obscured and unusual angles and framing, almost giving a sense of anonymity that exemplifies the unity and shared experiences. It’s a choice which also forces you to focus on the atmosphere and their words, impressively pushing its very personal nature even further.
There’s then a whole host of absolutely beautiful visuals mixed in to bring variety and open things up. Getting the most out of the picturesque landscape that sits directly outside of their sauna. As well as flowing through a mixture of different tones from sadness and depth to light-hearted and funny.
Smoke Sauna Sisterhood opens up a conversation about the minefield of womanhood. Showing the value in self-care, openness, body-positivity and empathy. Anna Hints’ choice of style and framing may feel odd to some at first but it works to make the film more of a genuine experience, bringing you as close as possible to this intimate discussion, filled with warmth and honesty. Hints makes clever choices that favour simplicity and leaves all the focus on the women, without comment or implication, purely entering this hallowed space and listening to their tales.
FilmCarnage.com 