Medusa, 2021
Directed by Anita Rocha de Silveira
Brazil, 127 minutes
As Part of the Boston Underground Film Festival 

 “Trauma is personal. It does not disappear if it is not validated. When it is ignored or invalidated the silent screams continue internally heard only by the one held captive. When someone enters the pain and hears the screams healing can begin.” -Danielle Bernock

A powerful reimagining of the Medusa mythology, and a biting satirical look at the pseudo religious hypocrisy of Evangelical Devour Christianity, “Medusa” is a modern day feminist tale of horror fantasy. Plenty of folks may find this lacking, and I can see the slow burn really getting their goat, but I absolutely loved this!

Echoing a hint of candy coated hyperfeminine aesthetic and sexual tension of the satirical black-comedy “But I’m a Cheerleader” (albeit a little less funny and assuredly less campy) and melding it with a tone that’s a bit reminiscent of folk horror meets giallo, the movie examines what it means to be a woman in a patriarchal society, reclaiming your autonomy in a world hellbent on repressing free thought and emotion, challenging a culture of toxic masculinity, and breaking free from the shackling oppression of misogynistic religious teachings.

The direction, photography, and cinematography work seamlessly to draw the viewer into a prismatic, hazy fever dream of saturated neons. The use of glowing neons and feminine pastels soften the darkest thoughts within this movie, allowing the viewer to be complicit in the violence and brutality of internalized misogyny, predatory men, and the ultimate brutality and viciousness of performed femininity.

As the credits roll, the hypnotic soundtrack keeps you firmly frozen in your seat, while echoes of those piercing final scene screams ultimately shatter the delicate mask revealing the darkness that’s been hiding underneath this film all along. It is an exquisite entry in a growing catalogue of independent feminist filmmaking, and while it may not be for everyone, it’s certain to reach out with its tendrils and grab the target audience.

 Review by Ellen
Twitter: @imaginariumartz
Website: www.imaginariumarts.com
Letterboxd: https://boxd.it/1XPX7

 
Watched as part of the Boston Underground Film Festival in March 2022, virtual component.