Belfast Film Festival: Fréwaka

Belfast Film Festival aptly opens this year on the 31^st of October – Halloween night. It’s just as well that the staff at the venue warn filmgoers that the screening room they’re about to enter is apparently haunted. This sparks just enough anxiety within the attendees to prepare them for Fréwaka. This latest feature by Northern Irish filmmaker Aislinn Clarke follows Shoo, a headstrong home care worker who takes on a job looking after the mysterious and elderly Peig. Peig lives alone in an old manor riddled with secrets and bait for town folk gossip. As the two women spend more time together, they find that they’re connected in more ways than one. A creepy and disorienting film that can be construed as symbolic of the generational effects of mental health disorders, Clark uses the tension of estranged familial bonds to question grief, specifically mourning people who have wronged and harmed other individuals.

Clark exhibits some genuinely intriguing and terrifying concepts with Fréwaka. She borrows many horror elements from Irish mythology and imagery, using nature, animals and straw masks to highlight the rural landscapes and farming lifestyle. Religion is also heavily prominent in the picture, using elusive visuals of Mother Mary and the cross to underline themes of familial and internal conflict – especially in regards to mother and daughter relationships, and grappling with guilt over the death of someone who has done bad things. Although the feature is set in the present day, these elements evoke a very ancient and uncanny atmosphere. Still, the cool and high contrast colour filter and the thriller-typical techniques create a modern edge to Fréwaka. This combination of old and new horror symbolically lends itself very well to the generational aspect of Clark’s script.

However, the execution of these stylistic choices can fluctuate in quality. For instance, there are moments of spectacular transitions and building of tension, while other scenes are a little bit tamer given misplaced sound mixing and sound design choices. The score is ever present throughout the feature and lacks much-needed silence to truly let the emotional beats and contemplative moments breathe. Fortunately, Clare Monnelly and Bríd Ní Neachtain are consistent in their performances, which helps maintain a very serious tone in the film. The final act is specifically a beautiful culmination of these horror elements and the emotional peak of the storytelling. It all works cohesively because of the audience’s investment in these two characters, spurred right from the very start thanks to the two actors’ excellent work.

A multilingual film that features the Irish language, Fréwaka is a very fitting watch for Halloween night – especially with the holiday’s Irish roots. It has some very interesting use of symbolism, and the subject matters it tackles – estranged familial relationships, mental health, rebuilding a new life before confronting past traumas – plus that final act constitutes a thrilling affair. That being said, certain production choices do prevent it from reaching its full potential. Fantastic in concept and unsteady in its execution, Fréwaka can be quite the polarising horror experience.

Mae Trumata

Fréwaka does not have a release date yet.