A Sacrifice

Ben, an American social psychologist, lives and works in Berlin following his separation from his wife in California. His focus is on the study of cults, but he is also dealing with the emotional aftermath of his divorce. His daughter Mazzy arrives from California to live with him for a semester, adding a new dynamic to his routine.

Ben and his colleague Max respond to a crime scene in the suburbs where a group has committed a methodical mass suicide. The police reveal details about the victims, including cyanide pills taken in shifts and small seashells placed in their mouths, indicating a ritualistic element.

Mazzy attempts to navigate the train system and mistakenly gets lost, seeking help from a man named Martin who introduces himself and exchanges contact information. Meanwhile, Mazzy starts school and Ben continues his research amidst the chaos of the recent tragedy.

Ben interviews a member of the cult behind closed doors and works alongside Nina and Max on investigations. Mazzy begins spending time with Martin and exploring the city, including attending conversations and activities led by a cult figure, Hilma.

Flashbacks reveal Martin’s childhood living with his grandmother and his involvement with an environmental activist group led by Hilma. He mourns her death, feeling isolated, and begins forming relationships with young people like Lotte and attending protests.

A second girl drowns herself at a lake with stones in her pockets. Nina states it’s not connected to the mass suicides, indicating an isolated incident. Ben and Nina grow closer, and Mazzy’s growing interest in the cult’s ideology is evident as she listens to Hilma’s talks.

Mazzy notices her father and Nina kissing, feeling betrayed. She tries to find Martin but is comforted by Hilma. Hilma shares manipulative advice, and Mazzy begins questioning her identity and her parents’ past, hinting at the cult’s influence.

Mazzy and Larissa go to an underground club, where Mazzy encounters a man trying to pressure her to dance. Martin intervenes violently, stabbing the man. Exhausted, Mazzy and Larissa sleep in a park, showing signs of instability.

Martin helps Mazzy after her night out and calls emergency services. Meanwhile, Ben learns Mazzy is missing and tries to locate her. Nina reveals her cult membership and connections to Hilma, exposing the orchestrated nature of the events.

Hilma and her followers prepare for mass self-immolation, donning robes, placing seashells in their mouths, and smearing ash on their faces. Hilma leads the ritual, ultimately burning the center down as a symbolic act of devotion.

Mazzy, hallucinating under the influence of drugs, walks into the lake and sinks. Ben arrives in time to rescue her from drowning. The police arrive to find cult members dead, except for Hilma, who is absent.

Martin, devastated by the loss, does not move his grandmother’s corpse and takes a cyanide pill, joining the others in death. Meanwhile, the police and Ben recover Mazzy, showing the tragic end of the cult’s influence.

Mazzy wakes up dazed, hallucinating Lotte in the water, and willingly sinks into the lake. Ben rescues her, emphasizing their emotional bond. The film ends with Elsa watching a video of Hilma online, suggesting the cult’s ideology may persist.