Synopsis

The Exorcism of Joan Vollmer is a poetic documentary exploring the lasting impact of a fatal exorcism that took place in regional Victoria during the 1990s. The film follows Amy, a theological librarian haunted by the case after a chance encounter with one of the perpetrators years earlier. As she returns to Horsham to continue researching and writing a book on the events, she becomes increasingly consumed by questions of faith, morality, guilt, and compassion.

Blending observational documentary with abstract reenactments, Atonement examines how deeply held beliefs can lead ordinary people to commit extraordinary harm. Rather than focusing on the sensationalism of the crime itself, the film explores the emotional and psychological aftermath left behind sitting in the uneasy space between judgement and empathy.