The Ritual (2025): the true story behind the movie - Auralcrave (2025)

The Ritual is based on the true story of Emma Schmidt, whose exorcism took place in the 1920s: everything you need to know about the 2025 movie.

On June 6, 2025, the horror movie The Ritual was released in the theaters. It is based on the true story of Emma Schmidt, known more widely under the pseudonym Anna Ecklund. It is considered the most well-documented case of demonic possession in the history of the Catholic Church in the United States, although some elements remain quite dubious and controversial to this day.

The Ritual: The True Story of Emma Schmidt

There are various contradictions surrounding Emma Schmidt’s life. Some sources state she was born in Milwaukee in March 1882 into a devout German Catholic family, while others claim her real name was Hulda Emma Schmidt, born in July 1882 in the Swiss canton of Thurgau, as one of nine children in a large family that emigrated to Wisconsin in 1884. However, archival records agree that Emma died in Milwaukee on June 23, 1964.

During her adolescence, Emma began displaying disturbing signs — already significant enough to suggest demonic involvement, though also common to psychiatric disorders. These included sexually deviant behavior, obsessive thoughts, difficulty breathing, and an aversion to sacred symbols and places of worship. According to testimonies from 1935 (which might today be considered superstitious), Emma’s alleged possession was caused by her aunt Mina, who was accused of having an incestuous relationship with Emma’s father. Some people interviewed claimed the father cursed Emma with Mina’s help after she refused his twisted advances. Regardless of whether the story is seen as supernatural or religious, it likely reflects a background of abuse and degradation that the unfortunate girl endured.

The first exorcism attempt is believed to have taken place in June 1912, commissioned by Bishop Thomas Dunn of the Des Moines jurisdiction. However, little is known about this first rite. It wasn’t until 1928 that Father Joseph Steiger pushed for a full exorcism at the convent of the Franciscan Sisters in the town of Earling. It’s likely that the 1912 event was merely a reinforced blessing, while the actual exorcism occurred between August and December 1928.

Due to the violent manifestations Emma exhibited, the exorcism had to be divided into three sessions. Some of the nuns present even requested transfers, unable to emotionally cope with the events. Emma’s behavior matched typical symptoms of demonic possession: hissing like an animal, speaking unknown languages, levitating without support, climbing door and window frames with inhuman strength and agility. Witnesses claimed she would vomit strange debris and tobacco leaves, indicating other entities within her. Her face was said to swell unnaturally, with visible deformations that made her look like a completely different person.

Those who assisted Father Steiger in the exorcism recounted how, during her violent episodes, multiple demons emerged when the classic question was posed: “What is your name?” The figures of her father Jacob, her aunt Mina, and Judas Iscariot — the ultimate traitor — appeared. In the final moments, before the priest overcame the evil forces, the name Beelzebub was heard, followed by the all-encompassing cry, “Hell.” Emma then regained consciousness, shouting: “My Jesus, Mercy! Praised be Jesus Christ!”

Very little is known about Emma’s later life, and the few reports are uncertain. Some say she showed no further signs of possession or mental illness, while others claim she experienced minor episodes, all well managed. Some modern scholars believe Emma suffered from a severe, undiagnosed psychiatric disorder. Even certain religious experts have doubted the supernatural authenticity of her case, noting that the “demons” — her father and aunt — seemed to stem more from her subconscious trauma than from hell itself. This supports the theory of a dysfunctional adolescence.

The film, like any credible demonic-themed movie, plays heavily on the thin line between possession and psychiatric illness, between faith and reason, and between evil as a congenital condition and as a real, external presence.

A Review of the movie

The film is set in rural America, far from political and financial centers, during the years leading up to the Great Depression. Meanwhile, Europe was witnessing the rise of dangerous totalitarian regimes — frequently mentioned by the characters. In the small town of Earling, Iowa, as in the true story, a traumatic event unfolds in a secluded convent of nuns, pushing human comprehension to its limits, balanced between science and faith.

Emma Schmidt, portrayed excellently by Abigail Cowen, is introduced as a woman grieving her mother’s death — another traumatic event that blurs the line between psychological illness and genuine possession. The film adds more dramatic weight than the actual case: Emma undergoes the exorcism only after consulting numerous medical specialists, all of whom fail to provide a proper diagnosis. Her last resort becomes the Catholic Church, represented by the bishop of her diocese, who suspects that an ancient and terrifying truth lies behind her suffering: Satan and his demonic minions.

The task of performing the exorcism falls to Theophilus Riesinger, played by a compelling Al Pacino, who embodies a rugged, seasoned friar — seemingly harmless but driven by deep spiritual conviction rooted in his former secular life. Alongside him is the young Father Joseph Steiger, the convent’s parish priest and one of the main witnesses. Steiger takes on the task of documenting the stages of the ritual to produce a structured account. After initial attempts, Emma’s condition worsens, and fear of the demonic spreads within the convent. Speaking in multiple languages, she reveals secrets about each witness, sowing doubt, discord, and fear — convincing even skeptics that this may be genuine possession rather than mental illness.

At first, Steiger is skeptical of Riesinger’s methods, hoping Emma merely suffers from psychological trauma. But when she references the suicide of Steiger’s brother and a medallion engraved with Saint George slaying the dragon — a clear symbol of the fight against evil — his doubts collapse. The plot plunges into the dark, terrifying abyss typical of Catholic horror.

The film, directed by David Midell and co-written with Enrico Natale, stands out as an atypical horror. It avoids over-the-top special effects, instead creating a dark and oppressive atmosphere that mirrors the real-life case. The absence of jump scares contributes to the suffocating tension, reflecting the mind of someone imprisoned in a nightmarish psychological state that becomes collectively contagious. The straightforward script — without sensational plot twists — keeps the viewer absorbed in an exhausting nightmare. For this reason, the storytelling feels more realistic and plausible.

The film also offers a profound reflection on faith and the characters’ personal paths toward it. To free Emma from demonic possession — or her inner demons — Riesinger, Steiger, and Sister Rose (the convent’s Mother Superior) must confront their own inner darkness, finding the strength to overcome evil in all its forms. As stated in the Catholic Church’s exorcism guidelines (De Exorcizandis Obsessis a Daemonio), the participants must demonstrate unwavering faith and willpower, so the demon’s lies and manipulations don’t prevail. A similar strength is needed even in cases of psychiatric illness, as mental disorders can lead to altered states of consciousness that affect not only the sufferer but those around them.

We won’t spoil the ending, which offers a nearly Christ-like interpretation of Emma’s liberation. However, it deliberately leaves the boundary between the supernatural and human fragility shrouded in mystery.