Typically, when you watch a “body swap” film, it’s a comedy. There are all sorts of hijinks that can happen when people switch bodies and see things from another perspective. However, in the film, “Skin Deep,” the body swap genre explores something a bit more meaningful, as it examines how seeing life through another pair of eyes might change you forever in ways that surprise you.
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With “Skin Deep” finally getting released, courtesy of Kino Lorber, we are thrilled to give our readers an exclusive look at a clip from the film. The film tells the story of a couple who go on a mysterious retreat where they get involved with a ritual that allows them to switch bodies with another couple, experiencing life with a new perspective. But what happens when you don’t want to switch back? The clip showcases the lottery aspect of the ritual, where the couples figure out who they’re paired with, which has to be an utterly nerve-racking situation.
The film stars Mala Emde, Jonas Dassler, Dimitrij Schaad, Maryam Zaree, Thomas Wodianka, and Edgar Selge. “Skin Deep” is directed by Alex Schaad, who co-wrote the film alongside Dimitrij Schaad. The film debuted at the 2022 Venice Film Festival, where it took home the Queer Lion award.
“Skin Deep” is in select theaters now. You can watch the exclusive clip below.
Here’s the synopsis:
Seeking a retreat where they can salvage their struggling relationship, young couple Leyla (Mala Emde) and Tristan (Jonas Dassler) travel to a remote island at the invitation of Leyla’s childhood friend Stella, where it soon becomes clear that what the island offers is more mysterious than a simple vacation. Leyla and Tristan join another couple in a ritual to exchange bodies and see the world through the eyes of someone else – a chance to find themselves or, for some of them, a chance at escape. Free from the constraints of her former body, Leyla quickly finds she has never been happier, with a fresh outlook on life and a new sense of release and fulfillment. But when she refuses to return to her old self, the situation threatens to spiral out of control. Subverting genre and gender as it toggles from body swap thriller to intimate relationship drama, Skin Deep tells a story that transcends bodies, embracing the endless fluid possibilities in the question of what it means to truly love someone. Winner of the Queer Lion at the Venice Film Festival and directed by Student Academy Award® winner Alex Schaad.
