Hen

DATE: Monday, August 10
TIME: 9:00PM
VENUE: Gateway Theater Fort Lauderdale

A haunting fusion of folk horror and psychological terror, HEN evokes the stark, uncompromising visions of Robert Eggers and Béla Tarr while announcing South African filmmaker Nico Scheepers as a formidable new voice in genre cinema. A masterfully controlled nightmare, Scheepers’ mesmerizing debut steadily ratchets tension before culminating in a devastating finale whose unsettling power lingers long after the credits roll.

While hunting in the wilderness, farmer Dawid discovers the aftermath of a gruesome massacre: an entire family slaughtered around a massive chain-bound chest marked with a crucifix. Inside is a terrified young boy, the sole survivor. Dawid and his devout wife, Hanna, bring the child into their isolated farmhouse, welcoming him as the son they never had. But as strange behaviors and disturbing visions begin to surface, the couple’s faith, marriage, and grip on reality slowly begin to unravel.

Shot in breathtaking black and white, HEN unfolds in a world suspended outside of time. Its stark, desolate landscapes transform the film into a dark folktale where every silence and every ritual feels laden with supernatural consequence. But what makes the film so gripping is its refusal to reveal where true evil resides. Is the mysterious child harboring something ancient and sinister, or have Dawid and Hanna’s isolation and religious devotion curdled into dangerous obsession? Each revelation only deepens the mystery, inviting audiences to continually question their assumptions.

Balancing moments of shocking brutality with haunting visual beauty, Scheepers crafts unforgettable imagery that echoes the surreal unease of South African photographer Roger Ballen. Hypnotic, unnerving, and exquisitely realized, HEN is an atmospheric descent into faith, fear, and the unknown that heralds the arrival of an exciting new talent in contemporary horror.