Heresy Review: Feminist Folk Horror Unveils Forest Rituals

Director Didier Konings' short film, "Heresy," presents a stark feminist folk horror narrative centered on a childless woman's transformative encounter in the woods. The film opens with Frieda, portrayed by Anneke Sluiters, fleeing into a foreboding forest after escaping an attempted rape by a local butcher named Gelo, played by Léon van Waas. Gelo, who had previously expressed a disturbing preference for "weak and defenceless" meat after consuming a pig fetus, represents a patriarchal threat within the village. Frieda, who had been criticized by her husband Hikko, portrayed by Len Leo Vincent, for her inability to conceive, emerges from the woods with a visibly swollen abdomen. This rapid and unexplained pregnancy immediately draws suspicion and fear from the villagers, who attribute it to "the devil's work." Their apprehension intensifies when they discover Gelo dismembered in the woods, yet disturbingly still conscious. The narrative of "Heresy" is deliberately pared down, focusing on the core elements of obscurantist village life and the pervasive fear of the unknown. Konings effectively highlights the villagers' tendency to project their anxieties onto external forces, particularly female bodies and emotions, as well as the natural world, which they perceive as beyond their control. Frieda's character, while largely symbolic, serves as a vessel for the film's potent feminist themes. The "wise women" of the forest, referenced in the original Dutch title, further amplify the film's feminist undercurrents, allowing its message to resonate powerfully. The film's concise structure and atmospheric tension contribute to its memorable impact as a folk-horror debut. "Heresy" uses its minimalist approach to explore themes of female agency, societal judgment, and the primal fears that can take root in isolated communities. The contrast between Frieda's mysterious supernatural impregnation and the villagers' superstitious interpretations underscores the film's critique of patriarchal control and fear-based belief systems. The visual storytelling and Konings' direction effectively build a sense of dread and unease, immersing the audience in the film's unsettling world. The film's exploration of the forest as a site of both danger and potential liberation for Frieda is a central motif. The villagers' reaction to Gelo's state further emphasizes their distorted perception of reality and their fear of forces they do not understand. "Heresy" stands out as a sharp and effective fable that leverages the conventions of folk horror to deliver a distinctively feminist perspective.