9 New Horror Movies From Screamfest LA To Put On Your Radar

Religious horror is all the rage right now! This last year alone has seen its fair share of possessed girls, pregnant nuns, and now murderous priests. Convinced that his dying wife was saved by prayers alone, Theodor (Linus Wahlgren) allows himself to be swayed by his old mentor into the belief that he has been chosen to perform miracles in exchange for the lives of sinners.

History is filled with the tragedies that happen “in the name of God,” and Ludvig Gür's narrative feature directorial debut perfectly encapsulates what happens when folks run with their ideas of what the vengeful Old Testament God requires of his followers– all for the sake of justifying their own bloodlust. Midsommar fans will be excited to see Vilhelm Blomgren, whose character is eager to expose the truth of these miracles after Theodor's parish garners public attention. 

Remember what I said about religious horror? Rather than a critique of religion as an institution in our modern world and the systemic violence it enacts, Witte Wieven will be a must-watch for folk horror fans. This film pulls sometimes vengeful misty spirits lurking in the woods from Dutch mythology and tells a timeless tale of the fear and hatred towards women who do not fit the tight molds society sets for them.

A deep shame haunts Frieda (Anneke Sluiters), who is struggling to get pregnant and fulfill her usefulness as a woman in her small Dutch village. After being chased into the forest by a local butcher with a violent history, the mysterious forces hidden in the fog make their judgment–saving Frieda. Allegations of Satanic worship travel like fire, but it won't be Frieda who gets burned. With a swift runtime of just one hour, director Didier Konings' first feature is worth a watch. 

My favorite film of the fest comes in the form of a dark and lusty vampire flick. Drained follows Thomas (Ruaridh Aldington), an unemployed young man who lives at home with his mother. Thomas struggles to escape his insecurities only to fall into a toxic codependency with Rhea (Madalina Bellariu Ion), who he meets when drowning his sorrows at the club.

Rhea is a vampire who is bleeding him dry. Nonetheless, Thomas is addicted to her and lets not only his life but the lives of the few people he loves hang in the balance. Peter Stylianou's script is refreshing, placing a man at the center of a thrilling vampiric love affair, rather than the young women that are scattered across YA fiction. Funny, bloody, romantic, and a little too relatable at times, Drained makes for the perfect spooky movie night. 

Lawrence Kao stars as a father desperate to provide for his daughter after an injury brings a halt to his dance career. After accidentally falling into a Faustian pact, he becomes a Death-like entity. Each life he assists into the afterlife with his touch helps settle his debt. Kai Cech is the perfect little girl, centering this film around a father-daughter love that feels genuine. Written and directed by Benjamin Wong, BA is a sweet fantasy thriller that really packs an emotional punch, making you question the lengths you would go to care for the ones you love. 

This is Dario Germani's second “Antropophagus” film, the first being Antropophagus II. Both films are unrelated and sequels only in name to Joe D'Amato's 1980 film. Hanna (Valentina Corti) finds herself a suspect in the brutal murder of her husband, an event of which she has no memory. D

esperate and pregnant, she decides to flee to Hungary, meeting up with her cousin (who is more of a family friend). The more time she spends with Hugo, the more he reveals about their families' dark history, providing unwanted answers for what might have happened to her husband. The gory moments are intense but few and far between, which might be a relief for some of you. This story is dark and will chill you to the bone, making it a great watch for fans of the subject matters explored in films of the “New French Extremity” variety. 

Despite the short runtime on Fabio D'Orta's The Complex Forms, viewers are left with more questions than answers. An unconventional possession film about people who sell their bodies, letting themselves become temporarily possessed by otherworldly entities in exchange for money. Despite consenting to this arrangement, the ensemble of characters seem clueless as to what is happening and when.

After what seems like an endlessly slow build-up of dread, a haunting alarm sounds to signal the arrival of these huge creatures as they emerge from the surrounding woods. Once the residents of this villa lay their eyes on the fate that is inevitably coming for them, they frantically try to uncover the truth of what they signed up for.

The production design and creature design (if you can really call them creatures) is breathtaking. The gorgeous cinematography had me completely entranced, allowing me to forgive that I might need a second watch to be able to fully digest this complex concept. 

You never know what is around the bend with a film like Drive Back. Reid (Zack Gold) and his pregnant fiancée, Olivia (Whit Kunschik), get lost on unfamiliar backroads on their way back from their engagement party. The longer they are alone together on these windy roads, the more their frustrations with one another begin to fester.

After they realize their little detour seemingly has no end in sight, they encounter a more sinister speed bump–a masked killer stalking them through the trees. Jon Sarro's script has so many twists and turns, it is easy to get lost, and the film leaves you unsure of its intended destination. However, this descent into madness is still quite fun once you just sit back and enjoy the ride. 

A man bound in chains desperately crawling to a nearby mailbox to drop in a bloodied and crumpled plea for help is one hell of a way to open a film. Written and directed by Joe DeBoer and Kyle McConaghy, Dead Mail is one retro thriller that deserves to be on everyone's watchlists. This ominous note makes its way onto the desk of Jasper (Tomas Boykin), the post office's “dead letter“ investigator, which is a profession I wish I knew existed before this film.

Mystery lovers everywhere will feel their inner sleuths satiated by Jasper's keen instinct. The narrative quickly turns back to the man who sent the note, Josh (Sterling Macer Jr.), and his captor, Trent (John Fleck). While the relationship between Josh and Trent is in itself intriguing, Jasper is where my affections lie, making the circular plot structure satisfying. 

The pensive synthy score and '80s analog aesthetics make Dead Mail an all-around audio-visual treat. 

Ukrainian horror is, unfortunately, almost nonexistent for international audiences. One of the only films that come to the minds of horror fans is Viy, which was released over 50 years ago. With the hopes of shaping a specific genre of Ukrainian films, Film.UA has an entire slate of movies in the pipeline. The first of these films, pulling from the region's rich yet tragic history, is The Witch. Revenge.

When war erupts, Russian soldiers invade Konotop, where Olena and Andriy peacefully live with their dog Ozzy. After a group of soldiers attack them as they attempt to flee the city, killing Andriy, Olena unleashes her power in an onslaught of witchy vengeance. The realism that exists in the horrors of war is paired alongside the gruesome kills and haunting imagery as Olena becomes altered by her quest for retribution.