Screenwriter and director Hanna Bergholm’s new short film fuses elements of horror and fantasy with dance, puppetry and animation, creating an emotive, dark piece that pulls all the right strings.

A lonely woman, longing for human contact, meets a strange man who reveals to her a dark and twisted secret passion. Pleased to have found companionship, she allows him to turn her into a puppet, and at first he is completely enamoured by his latest creation. Soon, however, he grows bored, and she will go to great lengths to ensure that his attentions do not stray from her.

There is a wonderful artistry behind this film; the life size puppet and the miniature doll-like models that appear throughout the film are incredibly intricate and beautifully made. The film is mysterious, alluring and awe-inspiring, and it comments cleverly on the power struggle in relationships and the way in which that power switches from person to person. It’s a dark portrayal of relationships, and there is a vision behind it that makes it stand out.  

The absence of dialogue in this film works to its advantage, allowing us to completely focus on the aesthetics and the ballet-like movement of the characters and the puppets. The wonderful puppeteering is done by lead actress Merja Poyhonen, who succeeds in bringing this object to life and conveying a story through it. The movement is expressive, and delivers the emotion and story just as well as any dialogue would.

Puppet Master may be founded on metaphor and fantasy, but it is not so abstract that its meaning is lost on the viewer, and that’s what gives it it’s edge. It’s a simple, recognisable aspect of human life, but explored in an original way. It’s rare that a film combines as many elements of medium, and it meets that challenge greatly.

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