April Rosenberg

This film is suspenseful and sensual in the way the eerily corporeal soundtrack and lush landscapes stimulate a relationship to self, spirit and nature. The themes add rich narrative and symbolism authentic to real life horrors such as the ways women have been historically stereotyped, demonized, ridiculed, tortured and mass murdered for their healing abilities, spiritual callings and feminine power. Any modern person who's suffered bullying, abuse, or depression could relate deeply to this film. Although the film doesn't depict a witch trial, it shows how women internalize a witch hunter mentality and suffer great isolation and mental strife that impacts generations to come. Hagazussa is a tragically beautiful contribution to the folk horror genre. PS. All the negative reviews are ignorant men complaining that the movie "wasn't fast paced enough", entertaining enough or that it didn't "make sense" or "give enough answers". That or they were comparing the movie to other films instead of letting the film speak for itself. Impatient? Dense? Competitive? It's almost as if the patriarchy is still a thing... I may have given it 4 stars but since others have rated it so unfairly, i give it 5