Sacrifice

Ben and Max arrive at the suburban Berlin house where a cult has committed mass suicide. The forensic detective Nina explains the method: cyanide pills taken in shifts, seashells in mouths, and a black smear on the cheeks. Ben texts Mazzy to take the train to his apartment since he won't be there in time.

Mazzy struggles with her stop and meets Martin, who helps her with directions. He says he lives near Ben's apartment and they exchange numbers. The encounter ties Mazzy to a potential local connection as she settles into Berlin.

Ben continues his research into cult dynamics and conducts interviews with a cult member who will only speak behind a closed apartment door. He works with Max and Nina on the investigation while Mazzy adjusts to school life. The case stretches across personal and professional lines.

Mazzy spends time with Martin, sharing a coffee after class and later taking shrooms in the woods. Their companionship deepens as Mazzy explores both friendship and danger in Berlin. The line between ally and manipulator begins to blur.

One evening, Mazzy, Ben, Nina, and others have dinner at Max's house with Elsa. Mazzy asks Elsa who Nina is, sensing tension, but Elsa says Nina is only a colleague. The scene hints at hidden loyalties within the circle.

Flashbacks reveal Martin's life with his grieving grandmother and his involvement with an environmental group led by Hilma. The group hosts protests, therapy, and gatherings where Martin brings Lotte. The backstory lays groundwork for the group's recruitment and control strategies.

A girl drowns in a lake with stones in her pockets, haunting the investigation. Nina and the police decide the death is not connected to the mass suicide because there is no shell or mark. The incident expands the mystery and tests the investigators' resolve.

Mazzy begins listening to Hilma's lectures on her own and grows fascinated by the group. Hilma gives Mazzy a necklace, which is later revealed to be the seashell used by the suicides. The gift deepens Mazzy's seductive alignment with the movement.

Mazzy goes to the center to find Martin after a night of growing distance from her father. Hilma comforts her and subtly encourages independence from her parents. Mazzy's trust tilts further toward the group while her father remains distant.

Mazzy and a friend witness a man pressuring Mazzy to dance at an underground club, and Martin intervenes by stabbing the man with a broken bottle. The group dynamics grow darker as Martin's volatility surfaces. Mazzy and Larissa flee to a park, where they sleep due to intoxication.

During a police search, it becomes clear that Nina is part of Hilma's cult, originally recruited by Hilma through Ben's influence and using him for recruitment. The earlier suicide victim is revealed to be Lotte, tying the cases together. The group plans Mazzy's initiation and the broader mission.

Martin brings Mazzy to the center for an initiation, but she resists and pleads to call her father. Hilma chastises Martin and orders him to take her to the lake. The plan intensifies as the group navigates Mazzy's fate and the looming mass suicide.

The group dons robes, shells, and ash, and initiates a mass suicide by gasoline and fire while Hilma exits the scene. Nina remains faithful and participates in the ritual alongside the others. The center becomes a scene of destruction and final symbol of the cult's power.

Ben arrives at the lakeside and rescues Mazzy from drowning as dawn breaks. Martin and the other cult members die, with Hilma leaving the scene. The final image shows Elsa discovering a video of Hilma online, suggesting the danger of Hilma's ideas living on.