[Movie] Nightsiren

[Movie] Nightsiren

People don't talk about what's happening here.

SourceEdited in Photoshop & Canva App

My recommendation today is "Slovak Folk Horror." Once again, we find ourselves in a village whose name I can't recall, or perhaps it's never mentioned. What is certain is that it's a rural, mountainous, and cold setting: a perfect atmosphere, characteristic of these captivating folk horror stories.

It's not an easy film for a viewer accustomed to linear and conventional Hollywood productions, so you'll have to make an effort to connect with this story set in that Slovak village where superstitions and beliefs in witchcraft abound.

I watched this film because of its star, actress Natalia Germani, whom I already mentioned in the post about the film "Her Body." Since her filmography is short, I'm trying to find most of her work. In the film, she plays Sarlota, a woman who left her village as a child (we'll see why at the beginning) and who, years later, as an adult, returns at the mayor's request to claim her mother's inheritance. (It seems so.)

Here, the horror is revealed gradually, in measured doses, with images that fascinated me. But the core of the story also lies in portraying a culture, common to many communities around the world, where women are often abused by their husbands or relatives. The narrative is very powerful in this respect because it's something that happens in many communities.

The director is Tereza Nvotová, whose last film, Father, I still haven't seen. It received many positive reviews and accolades. In fact, this film was also acclaimed at the Locarno and Sitges film festivals. Its protagonists are women, and of course there's a message of female empowerment, but here I see it as justified and restrained; it's not anti-male propaganda, it simply portrays a reality using elements of supernatural witchcraft.

Actress Natalia Germani isn't the only one who stands out in this story; she's joined by actress Eva Mores, who plays Mira. Mores also does an excellent job, and both of them keep the story engaging. The dramatic part of the film revolves around them, where the wounds of the past need to heal. Karla returns to that town, mainly because she wants to exorcise the guilt for what happened before she left.

It's this mix of personal dramas and the belief in witches that makes the film so interesting. I enjoyed it quite a bit, and it has a rather intense ending, where the anger of a town takes over, offering us scenes of violence and chaos. Of course, with this film, you also have to be open-minded to accept some of the customs, traditions, and behaviors of the culture that are reflected on screen.

I hope there are other film buffs with tastes as unusual as mine who find it a good film. Leave your opinion in the comments.

PS: Although I know no one will read this postscript, I wanted to leave it here anyway: I've stopped reading movie reviews because they only reveal spoilers or give away the entire plot, which is pointless. What they're doing is ruining the experience for those who truly enjoy watching movies and discovering surprises. Everyone can write what they want, but seriously, have some respect, because those of us who are passionate about film don't go around revealing movie plots. In my posts, I don't say anything important about the plot or reveal any surprises; the idea is to give an opinion, a reflection, and let people decide if they want to see it. Don't make summaries; that's pointless, and besides, a summary can be copied from anywhere on the internet, and to me, those kinds of posts are s

uspicious.