Level 16 2019

Within the confines of Vestalis, a boarding school shrouded in secrecy, a rigid hierarchy governs the lives of its young inhabitants. The institution’s mantra is one of conformity, where girls are molded into obedient and immaculate beings by adhering to the “feminine virtues” of subservience and fastidiousness. The boundaries are patrolled by a strict military discipline, with the promise of adoption by high-society families serving as the ultimate reward for those who conform. Any deviation from this regimen is met with swift punishment, which strikes fear into the hearts of all who reside within these walls.

On Level 10, Sophia and Vivien, two inseparable friends, stand in line alongside their peers, awaiting their daily dose of face cream and the scrutinizing gaze of a surveillance camera. Vivien’s impulsive nature gets the better of her as she ventures beyond the allotted time to assist her friend, only to find herself torn away by the guards, her cries of distress echoing through the sterile corridors.

Years pass, and the once-lively Vivien finds herself relocated to Level 16, the final destination for those who have reached the pinnacle of conformity. It is here that she is reunited with Sophia, now a shadow of her former self. Sophia warns Vivien against ingesting the daily vitamins dispensed by their caretakers, revealing them to be potent sedatives designed to maintain the status quo.

That night, under the guise of sleep, Vivien and Olivia conspire in secret, their whispers and giggles punctuating the oppressive atmosphere. Their ruse is soon discovered by the guards, who transport the girls to a dimly lit lounge, where Miss Brixil, the facility’s enigmatic manager, presents them to an elderly couple seeking to purchase Vivien’s services.

As the evening wears on, several more girls are ushered into the lounge, only to be returned to their dormitories like automatons. Meanwhile, whispers of discontent circulate among the guards, with Alex, a seemingly rogue officer, raising concerns about his behavior around the girls. Miss Brixil’s hushed conversation with an unseen party hints at a deeper unease, as she warns against allowing Alex unsupervised access to the girls.

As Dr. Miro (character name not provided) tends to the girls at the mysterious facility, he reveals that a contagious fever has been spreading throughout certain wings of the establishment. He administers a “vaccine” to Vivien and her companions, which triggers excruciating rashes and even induces a seizure in one of the girls. Initially displaying benevolent intentions towards Vivien, Dr. Miro’s demeanor takes a drastic turn when he discovers that she has been neglecting her medication regimen; he promptly injects her with an amplified dose. Meanwhile, Sophia confides in Vivien about her concerns regarding Alex (character not provided), a guard whose nocturnal visits to the dormitory have left the girls feeling uneasy and vulnerable. Undeterred by the risks involved, Sophia concocts a plan to apprehend Alex during his next visit, intending to restrain him and pilfer his key card. However, her scheme is short-circuited when Ava (character not provided) reports Vivien for perceived misbehavior, resulting in her confinement to a cramped enclosure for the night.

The following evening, Sophia seizes the opportunity to strike at Alex, successfully stealing his key card but ultimately falling prey to Dr. Miro’s vigilant gaze. The authorities are left bewildered when they fail to locate the pilfered key card, prompting Dr. Miro and Miss Brixil (character not provided) to interrogate the girls about Sophia’s whereabouts. When their efforts prove futile, Rita is taken into custody as a punishment, with a stern warning issued to the remaining girls: each of them will be subjected to retribution daily until the key card is recovered. As the night wears on, Dr. Miro and Miss Brixil engage in a hushed conversation about the facility’s financial woes and the intense pressure they are under (ostensibly from powerful forces) to produce results.

In the dead of night, Vivien stumbles upon Sophia’s cleverly concealed key card behind her headboard and makes a daring escape. She frees Sophia and the two of them make their way downstairs, only to stumble upon a gruesome operating room replete with corpses and, most shockingly, Rita’s lifeless body with her skin removed. Vivien is adamant that they must flee the premises immediately, but Sophia refuses to abandon their fellow inmates. As Sophia sets out to gather the others, Vivien uncovers a disturbing video in the lounge that reveals the true nature of the facility: a clandestine rejuvenation clinic overseen by Dr. Miro, where the girls are being raised in a sterile environment with the sole purpose of harvesting their skin for transplantation onto wealthy benefactors.

As Sophia’s warnings about their precarious situation fall on deaf ears, she realizes that her friends are trapped in a web of deceit. It isn’t until Vivien brings Miss Brixil into the fold, revealing the truth behind their captivity, that the group begins to stir. With Miss Brixil safely locked away in a metal box, they make a break for freedom, pursued by an relentless posse of guards. Sophia’s own escape is marred by injury, but she and Vivien manage to evade capture once more, this time by hiding out in a humble shed behind a secure door. As the guards struggle to gain entry, the tension builds, culminating in a heart-stopping standoff that pits Sophia against her pursuers. Meanwhile, Miro arrives on the scene, his true intentions sinister. He attempts to manipulate Vivien into betraying their fellow captives, revealing a shocking truth: they were all sold to the facility as infants by their own birth parents. Vivien’s anger and disgust are palpable as she exacts a measure of revenge upon Miro with a scalpel, her face set in a determined grimace. The aftermath is swift and merciless, as Miro is dragged away to face the wrath of his superior, the mastermind behind the clinic’s nefarious activities. With a final act of defiance, Miro meets his maker, leaving Sophia and Vivien to stumble out of their makeshift sanctuary, exhausted but grateful for another day. The next morning brings a new dawn, as they awaken to the sound of breaking glass and the sight of rescue workers streaming in to reclaim the other girls. Hand in hand, Sophia and Vivien experience the simple joys of rain-kissed skin and warm sunlight for the first time, their freedom hard-won but oh so sweet.