As International Women’s Day is right around the corner, we’ve curated a list of some stunning horror movies directed by women. The first breakthrough in the genre was with The Velvet Vampire, directed by Stephanie Rothman, back in the 70s. After that, Kathryn Bigelow’s Zero Dark Thirty marked history as she got an Oscar for Best Director.
Ever since, women have been giving out certain extraordinary scary movies with a good plot and let’s take a look at some of them, appreciate and cherish them.
8 Horror Movies Directed by Women
Saint Maud – 2019
If you’ve watched Midsommar, then you should watch out for Saint Maud as it is produced by the same company, A24, who are known to handpick flicks with gory stuff and heavy religious themes. This movie, directed by Rose Glass, follows the life of a nurse named Maud who gets obsessed with one of her patients and would do anything to save her. Anything.
Raw – 2016
Raw, directed by Julia Ducournau, became one of the controversial horror movies as two people who watched the movie at Toronto International Film Festival reportedly fainted due to the graphic scenes. Following the protagonist, Justine, a 16-year-old veterinary student and a vegetarian, the movie shows how she craves human flesh when she tastes meat for the first time in her life, especially during a ritual. The movie’s major theme is cannibalism, and the concept of a vegetarian desiring it, makes it even creepier.
A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night – 2014
A Girls Walks Home Alonge at Night is set in an Iranian ghost town named Bad city where a vampire wanders around and kills men who disrespect women. The entire movie is shot in black-and-white colour and has little dialogue. Directed by Ana Lily Amirpour, the movie is majorly influenced by the German movie Nosferatu. The vampire’s role seems to be both: a saviour and a deadly ghost.
Jennifer’s Body – 2009
Almost everyone knows about Jennifer’s Body because back in 2009, this was a box-office hit. Starring Megan Fox and Amanda Seyfried in the lead roles, the story is about a teenager who starts to feed off men after she was sacrificed to satan. The best part of this movie is that cannibalism, queer, friendship and such themes were heavily imposed, making this work by Karyn Kusama one of her iconic movies that broke stereotypes.
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Titane – 2021
Another movie by director Julia Ducournau that became controversial is Titane. When a woman and a car have sexual intercourse, she gets impregnated. How is this possible? Later the movie follows the woman’s struggle to escape after killing certain people and her best ways to hide her identity. Meanwhile, the baby is also growing in her womb. The ending will baffle you, and this is certainly one of the most disturbing psychological horror films ever.
The Stylist – 2020
Imagine visiting a parlour to get a haircut, but the stylist is obsessed with your hair and wants it. That’s exactly what this movie’s about; however, she doesn’t cut the hair but plucks the entire scalp out. Hell no! Starring, Najarra Townsend as Claire, The Stylist’s story revolves around the murderous stylist obsessed with her clients’ identities.
One day when she gets asked to be the stylist of a bride, her obsession turns the wedding into a horrific scene they never thought they would see. Jill Gevargizian directs the movie, and it was initially a short film which later became a blockbuster flick.
The Babadook – 2014
A single mother struggles and tries her best to raise her 6-year-old son, but things get even worse when a monster joins their home. After reading a tale to her son, the young chap believes that the fictitious monster has entered the house. Initially, the mother doesn’t buy it but soon realises that the blur between fiction and reality has been erased. The Babadook is directed by Jennifer Kent and received the highest favourable reviews in 2014.
The Love Witch – 2016
Elaine is a young witch who desires love but consistently gets failed at it. Living in a Victorian gothic home, Elaine tends to seduce men and bring them home. Soon the witch’s magic gets misused, leaving her with a long list of male victims. One fine day, she finally meets the right person, but her past drives her crazy.
Anna Biller directed and gave the viewers a visual feast with the choice of the gothic style blended with the Victorian age. The colour grading and the female fantasy are the selling point of The Love Witch.
Which movie are you picking to watch first? Let us know your choice in the comment section.
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