Fréwaka

Fréwaka

A terrifying Irish folk horror film

Shoo’s mother has just killed herself. The two hadn’t spoken for a long time due to the protagonist’s traumatic childhood. Driven by her repressed grief, as part of her welfare work, she travels to the Irish countryside to look after an elderly woman suffering from agoraphobia. A run-down house, forest backwoods, an old woman suffering from paranoia and constantly warning the girl about ‘them’. But who are ‘they’? And do they really exist? Shoo is slowly slipping into madness. Or is she finally able to start seeing things for what they are?

“Fréwaka” is an Irish folk horror film made partly in Irish Gaelic. A terrifying film, thick with ambiance and suspense, expertly acted and produced despite a low budget. This is horror cinema where the psychology of the protagonists is as important as the suspense building. As you watch, it is easy to get lost between what is real and what is a figment of the characters’ imagination, and this keeps you turning the pages with them. The screening will leave you with a deep sense of unease, and you’ll probably find yourself looking over your shoulder more than once on the way home.