Tears of Kali

Plot

In India of the 70s and 80s, various sects were founded for meditation and self-help, including the Taylor-Eriksson-group, which exorcised the dark part of human souls through radical experiments. Members took a vow of silence, making information about the group's practices nearly impossible to obtain after the sects disbanded. The film's three chapters are named after motives from Hinduism and focus on former members of the group. Journalist Tansu Yilmaz visits a Berlin psychiatry to learn about Elisabeth Steinberg, a former member suspected of complicity in the death of her guru Sarmafan.

Yilmaz engages Steinberg in contradictions and uncovers the truth, leading to a nightmarish struggle. Dr. Steiner treats hooligan Robin Borg, who wants to escape therapy; Steiner takes Robin's statement about wanting to get out of his skin literally and forces him to shed his skin through hypnosis. Healer Edgar treats patient Mira in group therapy for a mysterious disease from India; after Edgar heals her, a dark force from another dimension creeps through the villa, needing a new host.

Reception

Joel Harley from HorrorNews.net gave the film a mostly positive review, calling it a very interesting anthology film with gruesome gore and a deeply disturbing sense of horror. Keith Hennessey Brown from Eye for Film awarded a mixed two and a half out of five stars, criticizing performances and weak narrative but noting it achieves a balance for the hardgore crowd without becoming gratuitous. Kevin Thomas from eFilmCritic rated the film 3/5 stars, criticizing its lack of narrative focus and unoriginality, stating it contained too much mystery and gore without solid foundations.