by Tori Potenza, Staff Writer

Final Girls Berlin Film Festival started their 2023 program February 1st. With a stacked selection of shorts blocks, features, presentations, and workshops, festival attendees will have plenty of options to personalize their fest experience. This year's selection of features run the gamut of post apocalyptic adventures, to paranoid thrillers, to sinister folklore. There will be something for every horror fan to enjoy. The care and dedication that goes into designing a program is evident with the amount of unique perspectives, varying subject material, and attention to global inclusion that is present in these women and non-binary made horror features. Some of these features have recently made debuts in the states while others are just getting to travel the festival circuit. 

With that in mind here are reviews from five of the eight features being showcased in this year’s fest lineup.

Raquel 1,1
Written and Directed by Mariana Bastos

Femicide and other kinds of violence towards women has been a major issue in Brazil over the years. While the government has made strides to combat this violence there is still plenty of work to be done. It is an issue that is certainly present in recent Brazilian features directed by women. This concern is at the center of Mariana Bastos’s film Raquel 1,1.

With a focus on the culture of violence towards women, trauma, and the evangelist presence that perpetuates this violence, this movie clearly has a lot on its mind. The protagonist Raquel (Valentina Herszage)  is a compelling young woman to spend time with. She has to deal with the grief of her mother’s violent death, trauma, moving to a new town, and trying to understand her place in this world. Her journey into discovering the connections between all of these social factors that have harmed her and women she cares about is moving and relatable to many. With the added Saint Maud religious savior tones, this is an eerie coming of age story. It shares much subject material with Anita Rocha da Silveira’s 2021 feature Medusa. Another woman made a Brazilian movie dealing with the culture of violence and misogyny that is rampant in this country. It is a well made horror movie that is moving, informative, and will remind many women of their own past struggles. 

Sissy
Written and Directed by Hannah Barlow and Kane Senes

If you have ever been worried that you don’t fit in or that you are unwelcome at a gathering, you will probably empathize with Sissy. If you’ve experienced these things it can also make you cringe and try to wriggle out of your skin from secondhand embarrassment. While Sissy is certainly part of the trend of “influencer horror” it has plenty of depth and layers while also playing up its fun horror comedy tones.

Cecilia (Aisha Dee) is a character we want to root for, even when she might not be doing the right thing. A fateful meeting with her childhood best friend initially brings up for Cecilia, a potential rekindling of a relationship that has passed, but it also brings a wave of traumatic childhood memories. This movie reminds us that those childhood traumas can stick with us well into our adulthood and that, sometimes, we hold onto our own pain and can’t see past the hurt we caused. While we root for a character like Cecilia we also want to hate on her childhood bully Alex (Emily De Margheriti), but the movie makes us question where our allegiances lie. It accomplishes all of this while having the look and tone of something out of a 90s girl's childhood. It’s neon color palette and playful tones makes this very fun and gorey, while also maintaining important messages. It is a tough balance to pull off but Sissy manages to do it. 

Check out my full review of Sissy from last year along with my interview with actor and producer Emily De Margheriti.

Hatching
Written and Directed by Hanna Bergholm

Hatching is an interesting movie that centers around the concept of the monstrous feminine; from the young protagonist Tinja (Siiri Solalinna) to her mother (Sophia Heikkilä) and of course the creature that hatches from Tinja’s egg. 

“Mother” expects the best from her family, all of them must play their role in crafting her instagram worthy, picture perfect family. With these unrealistic expectations constantly nagging at Tinja it makes sense that something needs to crack through and shine a light on the darkness Mother tries so hard to cover up. This is a fascinating coming of age story about breaking free from the shackles of parental expectations and embarrassing all that is messy, ugly, and feminine. With great creature effects, compelling family drama, and a story that confronts the darkest parts of ourselves, it is no surprise that Hatching has gotten the buzz that it has. 2022 was a banner year for Scandinavian horror and its unflinching look into the darkness of humanity. Even at its bleakest these movies have been compelling and impossible to shake. Sophia Heikkilä gives an absolutely terrifying performance as mother, one that would put the most wicked of fairytale villains to shame. The sheer amount of text and subtext Hatching leaves audiences to discuss and dissect makes it a memorable movie that reminds us of how impossible it is to cover up the darkness inside. 

Check out my capsule review from Boston Underground Film Fest this past March and my inclusion of Hatching in “The Strange and Unusual Monstrous Feminine” in MovieJawn’s Fall 2022 zine. 

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

Chloe Okuno is a director people should be watching.

Between a segment in V/H/S/94, directing an episode of the Let the Right One In series, her recently announced attachment to the fourth installment of the Fear Street franchise, and this stellar debut, she is becoming a big name in genre circles. Watcher plays on fears many women have experienced around dangerous men, loneliness, and the paranoia of not being believed. While it shares DNA with classics like Rear Window, it shows how much harder it is to be a woman when it comes to being taken seriously. Okuno illustrates the isolation that her protagonist Julia (Maika Monroe), is feeling through language barriers, desolate city shots and a cold chilling palette. With subtle details she is able to evoke feelings that many of us can relate to. Monroe always gives a stand out performance and is another genre star on the rise, so the combination of this creative team is exciting to see. If you’ve ever worried about the man staring at you on the train, or the shadow that seems to be following you, or how a short night time walk could end in tragedy, then this is a story you will surely relate to.

Check out my full review of Watcher from its release in May 2022.

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

Motherhood is a powerful subject in horror, and there always seems to be more ground to cover in this area. Huesera is a fantastic example of this, playing with motherhood, folklore, witchcraft, and womanhood.

Huesera and Blood Relatives, which both came out last year, are very different movies but deal with a particular subject that is rarely seen in movies; the grieving process and loss of identity that can come along with parenthood. Putting aside work, career, projects, even the freedom that comes along is something that people don’t always talk about when raising a child. Both films illustrate this in fascinating ways, but Huesera is much more tragic and serious in tone.

Natalia Solián gives an outstanding performance as the lead character Valeria. She is able to navigate the complexities of what the character is going through, along with the pressures that come from her family, doctors and husband. There is gorgeous and horrific imagery peppered throughout the movie showcasing Cervera’s talent as a director. The sound design with the breaking and clicking of bones enhances the horrific aspects of the paranormal entity haunting Valeria. There is also a great queer subplot with Valeria and Octavia (Mayra Batalla) with one of the best sex scenes in recent film releases. It is thrilling to see this woman directed Mexican movie getting so much buzz.

Check out my capsule review from Brooklyn Horror Fest this past fall. 

For a full look at what is available at the festival make sure to look at the Final Girls Berlin Film Fest Program. If you are not able to attend the fest make sure to keep an eye out on these features, and others, as they get released.