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http://www.spoilerfreemoviesleuth.com -  Steven Adam Renkovish's feature debut is a landmark dissertation on the nature of bereavement and the private, unknowable terrors of mental illness.  Working with virtually no budget, Renkovish and his rogue's gallery of cast and crew have managed to create a singular work of art that blends the sensitivities of Bergman, the nihilism of Von Trier, and the subtle wrongness of Roeg.  The result is a cinematic dirge that explores grief as a character more than a concept and how its existence affects those who remain in the wake of a tragedy.  Featuring an unforgettable central performance, an ambiance of dread, and immaculate visual compositions, The Awakening of Lilith is one of the most sobering viewing experiences of the year. Lilith loses a loved one unexpectedly.  What follows is an assault on her sanity by the grief she is desperately trying to understand.  The simple premise is an organic foundation that allows Renkovish to not only focus on a topic that means a great deal to him (seek out his short film Fugue), but to allow his principal to shine.  Brittany Renee's embodiment of Lilith is emblematic of the sharp, yet endearing cycle of grief in all of its horrifying grandeur.  The best elements of the film are when the horrors reveal themselves and Renee's reactions are so succinct, so in tune with the absolute hell of loss and regret that the viewer is helplessly enraptured. Thomas Springer’s elegiac cinematography frames Lilith's durance within a modern limbo.  Neither heaven nor hell, Lilith exists in between, forever trapped by the demons of the past which manifest in unique and clever ways throughout the narrative.  Candlelight is present in almost every scene, another extension of the hopelessness that exists both externally in a suburban wasteland and internally within Lilith's tortured psyche. The soft natural light accentuates the shadows of Lilith's false haven, which creates a chilling effect in which paranoia and quiet hysteria meld into something even more sinister: reflection. Coming soon to the festival circuit, The Awakening of Lilith is an outstanding saga of loss and acceptance.  Many films within this subgenre focus on redemption and forgiving oneself.  What makes this such a unique and important offering is that Renkovish goes beyond these base concepts and explores the reality of tragedy: Often there is no one to blame and things simply are as they are.  The human soul has a great capacity when it comes to enduring injury, be it physical or psychic, and Lilith reminds us all that while everything may appear lost, things will indeed get better, just in unexpected, imperfect ways, and nothing could be more human.  --Kyle Jonathan