Following a double mastectomy, and hoping to recover in peace, actress Veronica Ghent travels to what she believes will be a solitary retreat in the Scottish Highlands. She’s accompanied by a young nurse, Desi, who through sheer will and a good heart is able to put up with Veronica’s brusque, standoffish nature. There are other forces at work: the land on which their cabin sits was the burial ground of thousands of alleged witches, whose ashes have fertilized the soil and created ground rich with supernatural power. When her dreams are haunted by visions of witches being burned and silenced, we learn of an incident from Veronica’s past involving a famous director and possible abuse. It’s an incident that’s scarred Veronica as much as her recent surgery. But now, imbued with powers thanks to the the Highlands, Veronica finds herself able to confront the damage done to both mind and body.
Intro, Debate Society, Hot for Teacher (spoiler-free): 00:00-29:52
Honor Roll and Detention (spoiler-heavy): 29:53-1:01:52
Superlatives (spoiler-heavier): 1:01:53-1:23:23
Director Charlotte Colbert
Screenplay Charlotte Colbert & Kitty Percy
Featuring Jonathan Aris, Layla Burns, Kota Eberhardt, Olwen Fouéré. Rupert Everett, Alice Krige, Amy Manson, Malcolm McDowell
Jerry J Sampson is a female horror screenwriter whose main thematic focus is on generational trauma and the effects of repression on the psyche. She has four feature scripts in various forms of production, including one feature supernatural horror optioned and filming in her hometown of Portland, Oregon. She is currently in pre-production on her directorial short film debut, In Dreams, working together with local crew and talent to create a truly haunting short that encapsulates the feeling of grief and loss through a lyrical and gorgeous narrative. In addition to her filmmaking pursuits, Jerry is also a film critic for such online publications as Ghouls Magazine, Rue Morgue, Moving Picture Film Club, and others, offering deep dives and editorials on current and classic horror films. She features on podcasts and panels, attends film festivals as both a creative and as press. Her collection of fiction The Scream & Other Dark Stories can be ordered here. Per her website, “She is here to offer a different voice in the horror sphere, always striving to prove the value of the horror genre as a means of catharsis and social commentary. The genre is so often overlooked, but she believes that through horror we, especially women, are able to safely explore the dark corners of the world, of our communities, of our homes.”
Our theme music is by Sir Cubworth, with embellishments by Edward Elgar. Music from She Will by Clint Mansell.
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