No Mercy

What does the “female gaze” mean in film? No Mercy explores this question through conversations and striking film clips, opening up new perspectives on filmmaking by women. Director Isa Willinger will be in Oslo.

“The truth is that women make the toughest films,” director Kira Muratowa once told the young filmmaker Isa Willinger early in her career. Isa has wondered ever since whether this is true, and in this documentary she explores whether there is any truth to the claim. In No Mercy, she speaks with some of the most important women directors and non-binary filmmakers of our time, who often portray harsh realities, humiliation and revenge in their films. Among those sharing their thoughts on violent characters, depictions of sex, trauma, power dynamics and the so-called “female gaze” are Céline Sciamma (Portrait of a Lady on Fire, 2019), Ana Lily Amirpour (A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night, 2014), Alice Diop (Saint Omer, 2022), Catherine Breillat (Romance, 1999) and Joey Soloway (Transparent, 2014-2019). Through conversations and film clips, the documentary offers a nuanced insight into artistic practice, women’s experiences and the visual worlds that shape them.

No Mercy is a German-Austrian co-production that has screened at many international festivals since its world premiere at Filmfest Hamburg in 2025, including Viennale in Vienna and Doc NYC. The film was released in cinemas in Germany and Austria in 2026.

We’re especially looking forward to meeting director Isa Willinger, who will be present at Tyske Filmdager to introduce her film. After the screening, we invite you to a conversation with the filmmaker.

This film is shown in collaboration with Den Østerrikske Ambassade i Oslo.

Venue: Vega Scene, Hausmanns gate 28, 0182 Oslo