Taking Up Serpents
Germany, USA2025documentary90'On the Edge
They disregard their own safety and the law. Members of some evangelical communities in Virginia perform a peculiar ritual involving venomous snakes. They believe that this is how they can defeat Satan. The filmmaker delves into this closed community with his camera and captures both the archaic tradition and the brutal life of the post-industrial Appalachian region. This is America at its worst, forgotten by gods and men, immersed in ecstatic religiosity. A film for people with strong nerves and guts.
- directed by
- Matthias Lawetzky
Born in 1986 in Wiesbaden, Germany. He studied Art and Design at HfG Offenbach, graduating with distinction. His thesis film 'Appalachian Holler' was screened at international film festivals and received the Hessian Film Award. He works internationally as a freelance cinematographer and filmmaker, specializing in documentary storytelling and B2B content production.
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