LECTURE: Dark Woods and Forgotten Rituals
Dive into the World of FOLK HORROR with Constant Hoogenbosch

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Fairy tales, legends, myths, and sagas are deeply rooted in our culture. Film as a medium draws richly from these sources. Set against rural backdrops, folk horror focuses on isolation, close-knit communities, pagan practices, and the supernatural. Often featuring powerful, sometimes frenzied characters, these stories offer lessons about good and evil, but also remind us that not everything in the world has our best interests at heart.

 

Looking at our own fairy tales, we find, at their core, gruesome stories filled with murder, violence, and even cannibalism. Yet through these tales and films, we can also explore folklore from various regions and see how movies themselves create their own folklore.

Cultural historian and film lecturer Constant Hoogenbosch navigates the world of folk horror, discussing a range of striking examples, including The Wicker Man, The Ritual, Thale, The Feast (Gwledd), Jordskott, Midsommar, The Witch, The Apostle, Wake Wood, and Halloween.