At twelve years old, Maria Åkerblom heard the voice of an angel. It came in a dream and she spoke its words to those around her as though in a trance. She became a traveling sensation as soon as the pious caught on, going city to city to tell God-fearing Finnish people that salvation was real. Eventually she grew into an adult with a flock of believers in tow—each devout “child” selling his/her possessions to donate their earnings to the cause. The sect became more and more insulated until abuse ran rampant and crimes led back to their door. And through it all she held tightly to her truth with many never wavering in their fealty. Their purpose relied on Maria’s sanity, so to them she was.
While director Zaida Bergroth’s Maria’s Paradise is quick to admit the events created by screenwriters Jan Forsström and Anna Viitala aren’t “real,...
While director Zaida Bergroth’s Maria’s Paradise is quick to admit the events created by screenwriters Jan Forsström and Anna Viitala aren’t “real,...
- 9/6/2019
- by Jared Mobarak
- The Film Stage
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