The Nixie

"The Nixie", is a dark folk tale, based on an old Polish legend, immortalized by Adam Mickiewicz in a poem of the same name. It tells the story of a water nymph who takes on a human form to seduce a young man she encounters in the forest. Mesmerized, he makes a vow of love towards her, and the woman transforms back into the nymph to test his love. The young man, who does not know the nymph and woman are the same, succumbs to her mystical beauty and breaks his vow. The nymph then takes her revenge by swallowing him into the lake, where he will eternally remain as his punishment. The film begins in a life-like world and slowly morphs into the fantastical as the line between the real and the mystical blur. A coming-of-age fairy-tale, "The Fairy of Switez Lake" is a modern, seductive, filmic poem with a catchy new wave soundtrack for this timeless cautionary tale.

Directed by Mai Bui Ngoc, Julia Bui Ngoc, The Nixie leans on a strong ensemble — Nikodem Rozbicki, Paula Szpakowska, Patrycja Gacka — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about fantasy titles of 2018.