There are many magical facts about horror that are quite comforting to think about. One is that horror is an inherently political genre, and another is that there are plenty of outwardly feminist horror films. Feminist horror is a subgenre that often focuses on empowerment, society’s treatment of women (occasionally from an intersectional lens), stories of revenge from a woman’s perspective, and so on.
When discussing feminist horror films, films like Rosemary’s Baby (1968), Carrie (1976), The Descent (2005), Jennifer’s Body (2009), Fresh (2022) and more are often mentioned. However, finding new horror films to watch and analyze is a fun journey, believe me. If you’re interested in expanding your feminist horror viewing experience, you can absolutely aim for titles that people haven’t tackled much. The following feminist horror films are titles you may not know.
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Content warning: There are some mentions of sexual violence in various sections.
Teeth
Director: Mitchell Lichtenstein
Writer: Mitchell Lichtenstein
Synopsis: After experiencing traumatic events, a young girl named Dawn (Jess Weixler) realizes something about her anatomy.
Why to watch: Teeth’s under-the-radar status makes it ripe for analysis, especially now with relevant conversations about anatomy. The film explores themes surrounding consent and purity culture and has scenes of sexual violence. So, if you’re sensitive to that, proceed with caution. The film balances its comedy with serious moments involving consent, which is incredibly topical right now with the continual political attacks on bodily autonomy.
The journey Dawn takes throughout the film is traumatizing, but by the end of Teeth, she’s able to take back her power and avenge how she’s been wronged. In the real world, Dawn is faced with the reality that her body is constantly under attack. It’s undoubtedly feminist for a femme-presenting person to reclaim their autonomy after enduring hell. Teeth not only confronts bodily autonomy, it also forces men to be in a position of vulnerability throughout the entire film. And that’s a needed role reversal that’s often in horror films like this.
Where to watch: Plex
Starry Eyes
Director: Kevin Kölsch and Dennis Widmyer
Writer: Kevin Kölsch and Dennis Widmyer
Synopsis: An aspiring actress is entangled with a dangerous elite group that causes her to experience strange things with her body.
Why to watch: It’s not new for horror to explore the insidious rot in Hollywood, but Starry Eyes does it in the rawest and most uncomfortable way imaginable. The film tackles the unfortunate reality of young women, in this case, feeling like they have to do whatever it takes to be famous. There’s an unsettling realness to this film and how women are chewed up and spat out in a cyclical nature. This is what makes it so effective at the end of the day.
Sarah’s (Alexandra Essoe) life drastically changes upon dealing with the cult, and whether that constitutes as “good for her” is up to the viewer. A “good for her” story doesn’t always need to be moral, and sometimes, chaotic action is triumphant. Women are often meant to be sickly sweet, in the eyes of patriarchal expectations, to be deserving of anything. Therefore, Sarah rejecting moral ideas and her old self contributes to why “good for her” stories aren’t always moral.
All in all, Starry Eyes is feminist in how it unapologetically touches upon how Sarah is treated and her owning the new her.
Where to watch: Plex and Shudder
Revenge
Director: Coralie Fargeat
Writer: Coralie Fargeat
Synopsis: During a getaway with her married boyfriend, a woman ends up being assaulted and left for dead. Only for her to recover and get revenge on her boyfriend and his two friends.
Why to watch: The Substance is, without a doubt, the film that Coralie Fargeat is best known for, but Revenge deserves its accolades. Revenge tackles rape culture and keeps its scenes of sexual violence offscreen, leaving all the violence for the revenge portion of the film. A decision that benefits the film and aids in what it tries to do differently.
What Revenge allows is a heightened version of reality for Jen (Matilda Lutz), making her emergence as a powerful agent of revenge so satisfying. Revenge perfectly embodies how deplorable it is for the men to act like Jen was “asking for it” or was too irresistible. Statements like that are part of rape culture and Revenge doesn’t fail in highlighting that. The film is perfect for anyone looking for a feminist horror film that doesn’t hold back and allows its survivor to fight back without hesitation.
Where to watch: Prime Video and Shudder
M.F.A.
Director: Natalia Leite
Writer: Leah McKendrick
Synopsis: After an art student’s rapist dies accidentally, she embarks on a mission to avenge survivors who don’t get justice.
Why to watch: Countless victims of sexual violence who try to get justice are failed by the system, and M.F.A. isn’t afraid to get into that. M.F.A. doesn’t hold back with its messaging, and after Noelle (Francesca Eastwood) is sexually assaulted, she takes matters into her own hands. Rather than having Noelle spend the film being conflicted about her actions, she becomes the vigilante that she believes people need.
It’s a rape revenge story that goes beyond being about one singular person. That’s a unique approach to the subgenre because the films that fall into the subgenre are often about single quests for revenge. There’s something so intriguing about vigilantism and how feminism can absolutely tie into that. And while there’s a lot of movie logic in how she gets away with killing people, it’s still a film that’s worth checking out if you’re seeking vigilante-based feminist horror.
Where to watch: Prime Video
Run Sweetheart Run
Director: Shana Feste
Writer: Shana Feste, Keith Josef Atkins, and Kelle Terrell
Synopsis: When single mother Cherie’s (Ella Balinska) date goes entirely wrong, she’s forced to fight for her life.
Why to watch: Run Sweetheart Run isn’t the first horror film to tackle sexism, but it does so in an accurately distressing way. The film explores themes of sexism and men being complicit in the acts of violent men, and it has a Black woman as its protagonist. Touching upon complicity because of how being complicit, in this case regarding a violent man harming innocent women, is still relevant as far as conversation goes.
Despite being somewhat on the nose at times, Run Sweetheart Run gives us a protagonist to actively root for, a villainous immortal character that needs to be taken down, and a triumph for Cherie in the end. Cherie’s being Black also adds intersectionality to the film, and her being deemed a sacrifice is an added layer. But instead of needing to be saved by a heroic white man, Cherie is able to fight back with the aid of powerful men. It’s not a perfect film, nor does it pretend to be, but it’s worth at least one watch.
Where to watch: Prime Video and Freevee.
A Wounded Fawn
Director: Travis Stevens
Writer: Nathan Faudree and Travis Stevens
Synopsis: During a weekend getaway, a serial killer hopes to claim a new victim, only for the tables to be turned on him.
Why to watch: Greek mythology, feminism, and gender politics are executed in the most trippy way imaginable in A Wounded Fawn. It’s not your typical film about a violent serial killer getting what he deserves; it takes its time to unravel Bruce (Josh Ruben). The amount of suffering that Bruce endures doesn’t add up to his murderous body count. That can easily be read as one of the points of the film.
A Wounded Fawn is surreal and a Greek tale that involves the Furies, who are powerful feminist figures in Greek mythology, and how they are agents of vengeance. You have to watch it for yourself and see how it unfolds from start to finish. As far as feminist horror goes, it’s one of the most experimental in its approach. Ultimately, the film will be suitable for folks looking for something different in a horror film with vengeance.
Where to watch: Shudder
Bystanders
Director: Mary Beth McAndrews
Writer: Jamie Alvey
Synopsis: A group of murderous rapists come across people that are far more dangerous than they look.
Why to watch: Indie horror films like Bystanders deserve just as much appreciation as films released by big studios. Bystanders is a rape revenge horror film that takes inspiration from many that came before it. The protagonists are incredibly complicated, and the frat boys are frighteningly realistic. Witnessing this level of catharsis and doling out revenge will be satisfying for many viewers who might be survivors.
Bystanders does exactly what it needs to do for survivors by allowing anyone who can relate to find catharsis in what happens to the frat boys. Not to mention that the twist regarding how the tables turn on them is perfect. It’s not only an indie delight and a great directorial debut from Mary Beth McAndrews, but it’s also a newer release that’s really needed right now. The film is indie through and through, proving that a feminist film doesn’t require a huge budget to be effective.
Where to watch: Plex
If you’re into feminist horror, the films listed above might satisfy that purpose. Feminist horror should be revisited more than ever; it is perfect for escaping into and finding catharsis, but it can also broaden our horizons on all-too-relevant issues that still plague women today. In this list, celebrate the big films and the indie delights that deliver feminist topics into the horror genre.
Do you disagree with us? Do you have a recommendation that would be a perfect fit for this list? Let us know on Bluesky at @butwhytho.net.
