by Tori Potenza, Staff Writer

Final Girls Berlin Film Festival (FGBFF) will be back for its 8th edition from February 1-5th at City Kino Wedding in Berlin, Germany. The fest showcases horror cinema that’s directed, written, or produced by women and non-binary filmmakers. They are committed to creating space for female voices and visions, whether monstrous, heroic or some messy combination of the two, in the horror genre. Their definition of women is trans inclusive, making sure there is space for all those with female experience –past or present making this an essential horror festival for genre lovers.

Their programming is always diverse and they highlight filmmakers from all over the world. The programming includes several feature films as well as themed shorts blocks. There are also several workshops and presentations that people can look forward to. If you are not able to attend in person they upload their presentations on their Youtube and have events throughout the year that are both virtual and hosted in various parts of the world. This year is no different for the festival, there are some incredible features, shorts and interactive presentations for those to check out. Here are a few of the exciting offerings folks can look forward to. Make sure to check out their social media to stay up to date with the various ways FGBFF is spreading diverse genre cinema everywhere they can. 

Raquel 1,1
Written and Directed by Mariana Bastos

Raquel is a Brazilian film which follows a teenager, Raquel (Priscila Bittencourt), a religious girl still reeling from the loss of her mother. She and her father move to a small town in the countryside. Raquel becomes friends with a group of evangelical girls and starts making a life for herself. But a sudden realization that she has received a mission from god, changes the quiet life she has begun to establish.

Brazil has been producing some fascinating religious horror the last few years. The impactful movie Medusa from director Anita Rocha da Silveira came out last year and has many of the same tones. This should certainly make genre fans interested in checking out Raquel 1,1. These women centered coming of age horror movies usually have a fascinating lens on the societal factors that bring girls into adulthood and this sounds like it will be a similar viewing experience. 

Sissy
Written and Directed by Hannah Barlow and Kane Senes

Sissy follows the trend of many recent horror films by delving into the dark side of influencer culture. Cecilia (Aisha Dee) is a popular new age lifestyle influencer who spends much of her time in isolation working on her content. She bumps into her grade school best friend Emma (Hannah Barlow) and after spending a night out partying it seems that the two are inseparable once more. Emma invites Cecilia to a weekend getaway with some of their other friends including Alex (Emily De Margheriti), a bully from Cecilia’s past. These memories and past childhood traumas return, making for a tense and violent encounter. Sissy made its way to Shudder earlier last year and has plenty of comedy, gore, and dreamy 90s nostalgia vibes. If you are looking for something on the horror/comedy side this is a great one to check out. 

Hatching
Written and Directed by Hanna Bergholm

Scandinavian horror is having a moment with movies like Speak No Evil, The Innocents, and of course this festival showcase, Hatching. Tinja (Siiri Solalinna) is a young girl who lives to please her mother (Sophia Heikkilä). Mother demands the best from her family and disappointment is not an option. One day Tinja finds an egg that she decides to keep and care for as her own. But what hatches from the egg threatens to destroy the instagram perfect life that their mother has put together. Hatching is another coming of age tale that hones in on abusive family dynamics and the expectations that demanding parents put on their children. It is a unique, disturbing, and fascinating movie that will linger with those who see it. Scandinavian horror is on to something and this is one that should not be missed. 

Watcher
Written by Chloe Okuna and Zach Ford
Directed by Chloe Okuna

Chloe Okuno blew people away with her incredible segment “Storm Drain” from V/H/S/94. So it is no surprise that her feature Watcher was a highly anticipated release last year. Julia (Maika Monroe) moves to Bucharest with her husband Francis (Karl Glusman). In a place she doesn’t know, with no real connections Julia is often left on her own searching for meaning and connection. But soon after they move into their new apartment Julia becomes convinced that someone is watching her. She feels eyes on her wherever she goes and with a killer on the loose she becomes worried she might be the next target.

Watcher plays up the paranoia of movies like Rear Window, but from the perspective of a woman desperate to be believed. Maika Monroe is a horror favorite with her memorable roles in It Follows, The Guest, and Villians. Karl Glusman has also become a fascinating presence to watch, leaving lasting impressions from his roles in DEVS and Please Baby Please. With a dynamic cast and an incredible director this should be a anticipated watch for those who have not seen it. 

Huesera: The Bone Woman
Written by Michelle Garza Cervera and Abia Castillo
Directed by Michelle Garza Cervera

Huesera made waves with its festival rounds last year at fests like Brooklyn Horror. This Mexican horror movie follows Valeria (Natalia Solián) who has been dreaming of becoming a mother and raising a child with her loving husband. It seems like their prayers are finally answered when Valeria finds out that she is with child but as she prepares to welcome the baby a sinister presence creeps into her life. Plagued by dreams, visions, and feelings of impending doom she becomes a different person. While her family and husband try to write it off as paranoia, Valeria thinks that a vengeful spirit might be after her. Blending Mexican folklore with societal expectations of motherhood and pregnancy, Huesera has plenty of themes that women can latch onto. This is a highly anticipated release and folks should do their best to make time for it. 

There are other features that people can look out for in Final Girls programming this year. Additinally there are ten different shorts blocks which include themes like Bodily Autonomy, Queer Horror, Body Horror, and Young and Deadly. Shorts are a great way to support genre filmmakers and also a fantastic way to find some upcoming directors to get excited about. There are also various presentations available including a discussion on rape-revenge narratives from Bruna Foletto Lucas, a talk on Hagsploitation from Dr. Katrin Seyler & Antonia Grousdanidou, and a talk that is a perfect complement with Huesera; a discussion on Mexican postmillennial horror from Dr. Valeria Villegas Lindvall. Talks are always a huge highlight to fests like this and the presenters are some of the most interesting minds in horror so make sure to support them and engage your brain in between movies. 

For a full look at what is available at the festival make sure to check out the program. Tickets are now available so make time for these incredible films, shorts, presentations, and much more!