, you can explore its unique position as a "psychedelic death trip" that prioritizes atmosphere over traditional narrative.
This chapter contains one of the film's most talked-about and deliberately uncomfortable sequences: an erotically charged scene where Albrun masturbates after milking one of her goats. The director has stated that her intimacy with the animals is meant to be sensual and ambiguous, reflecting her profound isolation and the blurring of boundaries between the human and the natural world.
The film portrays the "witch hunt" not just as an act of violence, but as a systematic bullying of the marginalized. The villagers' fear of the unknown is projected onto Albrun. Hagazussa
In the pantheon of modern horror cinema, certain names elicit immediate recognition: The Witch , Midsommar , The Lighthouse . These films are celebrated for their "elevated horror"—a slow-burn blend of psychological dread, historical accuracy, and artistic ambition. Yet, lurking just beneath the surface of these mainstream hits is a far more obscure, unsettling, and radical film: Lukas Feigelfeld’s 2017 debut, .
In medieval folklore, the Hagazussa was deeply tied to the natural landscape, European paganism, and ethnopharmacology. Rather than the cartoonish villain of later fairy tales, the historical archetype was grounded in the harsh realities of rural isolation. , you can explore its unique position as
The film follows (played by Aleksandra Cwen), a young woman living in isolation in the mountains during the Middle Ages. The narrative is loosely divided into chapters:
The story begins during Albrun’s childhood. She lives in a secluded mountain cabin with her mother, Martha, who is ostracized by the nearby villagers as a witch. Martha contracts a horrific, wasting illness and dies under traumatic circumstances, leaving young Albrun profoundly traumatized. The film portrays the "witch hunt" not just
Two decades later, an adult Albrun still lives in the same isolated cabin, now working as a goat herder and raising her own infant daughter, Martha. The passage of time has not softened the villagers' malice. Albrun is still treated as an outcast, tormented by local children and viewed with intense suspicion.
A glimmer of social connection appears when a local woman, Swinda (Tanja Petrovsky), befriends Albrun. However, this friendship proves to be a trap. Swinda betrays Albrun's trust, leading to a brutal and humiliating sexual assault by her husband. This act of cruelty is the catalyst that pushes Albrun over the edge, transforming her from a passive victim into an active agent of vengeance.
Any you want emphasized (e.g., historical context of witch trials, a deeper scene-by-scene analysis, or direct comparisons to other folk horror movies).
: The woman who sat upon or crossed this hedge was a liminal figure. She had access to the deep woods where magical and medicinal plants grew.