The camera slowly follows the sound of heavy breathing from off-screen, which leads to a bleak scene of a woman, a mother, lying on an oversized bed groaning in pain, and a son sleeping beside her. This first scene, composed within the total darkness of the room in stark contrast to the brightly lit bed and the sound of ragged breathing, suggests the overall tone of the film. The mom is about to die and the son feels guilty about it. His emotions are conveyed to the woman who lives next door, and his karma begins to play with him. This Sri Lankan film focuses on the spirituality of the country in an experimental way. Although abstract concepts such as death, life, guilt, sexual desire, pain and dedication are not explicitly conveyed throughout the story, expressionistic and unsynchronized sound strains the senses, and persistently long, steady takes rivet the eyes. While the film may not be audience friendly, it is filled with the director’s passion. [Karma] connects the man’s bizarre love story and incestuous drama. (KANG Sowon)