Welcome back to White Rose of Avalon, my Darlings. This week’s Femme Fatale Friday blog post is about how Folk Horror depicts the Feminine Experience! I will explore this topic by briefly looking at five different films that show aspects of the Feminine Experience in Folk Horror. I have broken this into five sections, one for each film, for this reason. For ease, I will be going through the films chronologically based on the release date. Now, without further ado, let’s get into the topic!
Viy (1967)
~This one is actually my most recent first-time watch on the list, with, ironically, the next one being my second most recent first-time watch. Viy is a Russian Folk Horror and Dark Fantasy film released in 1967, so technically, it is considered a Soviet Union release. The film is based on a story by Nikolai Gogol, which I had not realized until I watched the credits. I knew I would enjoy this one, as I have enjoyed some of Gogol’s books in the past. Now, the story revolves around this young man named Khoma who is studying at a seminary college but has no interest in the priesthood, instead considering himself a Philosopher. He is called upon to read prayers for a young woman who has recently died, only to find out upon his arrival that he had a history with this woman. He keeps his history secret as he reads her prayers for the three nights he is prompted to do so. The Female Experience explored in this film is centered on the young woman he is reading prayers for, as she is a Witch! The film deftly incorporates much of the classical folkloric beliefs in Witches that would have been prominent in Russia during the time when the film takes place. The Witch, although dead, can rise from her coffin at night and antagonize and attack Khoma, and frankly, you are on her side! I will not give spoilers, as I think it is definitely a film that you should watch (as long as you do not mind subtitles). To me, the Witch in this film is the Feminine force of Nature taking vengeance upon those who wronged her in life. The villagers even hold so much love for the Witch, seemingly knowing who she truly is, which I found rather refreshing!
Valerie and Her Week of Wonders (1970)
~Valerie and Her Week of Wonders is a Czechoslovakian Folk Horror and Fantasy film released in 1970. It tells a very surrealistic tale of a young girl of 13 named Valerie as she begins puberty. This is one of those amazing films that takes the Feminine Experience of menarche (your first menstrual cycle) and tells a Dark Fantasy story around it. That part of the tale did remind me of Ginger Snaps (which does the same thing with Werewolves). Valerie is a very intelligent and observant girl, always up for exploring and learning about the world around her. During the course of the film, she encounters many people who would do her harm and take advantage of her purity, all the while dealing with her own burgeoning sexual desires and the betrayal of her family! The film incorporates both Vampire and Witch folklore in the story, weaving a very interesting tapestry of what folk beliefs would have been held in this part of the world in the time when the film is set. To be honest, I felt genuinely sickened by some of the ways people attempted to treat her in this film, and that was definitely the intent, as this is a film that has something to say about the way we treat young women. The Surrealistic Dreamscape the film lives in gave me major Alice in Wonderland vibes, but a much darker version! That was a bonus, as I do adore Alice in Wonderland. I found myself resonating with Valerie, as I remembered what it was like to be her age, and that made the film even more powerful. I highly recommend this to anyone who again does not mind subtitles, as it is a powerfully beautiful film!
The Witch (2016)
~Now, this may be the most obvious film on this list when it comes to discussing the Feminine Experience in Folk Horror. It is also the third film in a row with Witchcraft as the core of the folklore that is explored in the film. The Witch tells the story of Thomasin, whose family has been banished from their Puritan society and goes to live far away from society on the edge of a Woodland. As is expected, given it is set in seventeenth-century New England, Thomasin is given a lot of responsibility and is harshly judged when she does not live up to expectations. This eventually leads to an ending where she can free herself from the harsh societal pressures and live life on her own terms! I could go on for a very long time about this film, and I even have before in a previous post, but as I have two more films to cover, I will leave it off here. If you want more of my thoughts on this film, here is a link to my previous post on this film: https://whiteroseofavalon.life/2023/06/01/the-witch-a-magical-media-analysis/.
Midsommar (2019)
~Midsommar is the story of Dani, who tags along on a trip with her boyfriend Christian to experience a Midsummer celebration in Sweden when he and his friends had planned a trip to do so. Dani had recently experienced great tragedy in her family and is in an incredibly vulnerable state. Her relationship with Christian is deteriorating, but neither is willing to end things. Yet Christian cannot understand Dani’s deeply felt emotions and her sensitivity, which leaves her open to the influence of the Harga (the Cult in this film). Christian meets an honestly unfair and unjust end, and Dani loses herself to the Cult. This is not a happy story, and I do not see it as a ‘good for her’ tale like many do, as she loses her autonomy, and although he was not a great boyfriend, no one deserves Christian’s fate! This is a story that shows the Feminine Experience of grief and the fear of being single that can lead many of us (of any gender) to stay in a toxic relationship. If you want more of my thoughts on this film, here is a link to my previous post on this film: https://whiteroseofavalon.life/2024/06/24/midsommar-a-magical-media-analysis/.
Nosferatu (2024)
~Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu is a film I have not been able to stop thinking about since seeing it on Christmas Day! It is a Vampire Folk Horror film that takes both the earlier Nosferatu films and the source novel of Dracula (and its various films) as inspiration to bring something truly breathtaking and haunting to the screen. The film focuses on Ellen and her connection to Count Orlok, truly centering the female perspective, and serving as an analysis of how the Victorians viewed the Feminine Experience, and especially Female Sexuality! It is equal parts haunting and mind-bending, truly giving the audience food for thought. I could go on forever about this film, which I have done, so I will leave this off here. If you want more of my thoughts on this film, here is a link to a post I wrote analyzing Ellen’s character: https://whiteroseofavalon.life/2025/01/03/the-heroine-of-nosferatu-centering-the-lucy-character/.
~I hope you have enjoyed this exploration of how Folk Horror relates to the Feminine Experience. What other Folk Horror Films can you think of that depict this energy? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
Note on Image: The image at the top of this post is the poster for Valerie and Her Week of Wonders. I found the poster on https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0066516/.
LINK TO AVALONIAN ROSE FAERY MYSTERIES PATREON: patreon.com/AvalonianRoseFaeryMysteries