I have always loved horror and will never forget the excitement of my first Glasgow Frightfest. The buzz of being in a room with so many other weirdos just as buzzing as I was finally felt like home. I had an amazing time and haven’t missed one since (moment of silence for Glasgow film festival that would’ve kicked off tonight but is of course now being hosted virtually), though I did come to some surprising realisations over that first weekend. Firstly – how quickly a day can pass when you’re doing something you truly enjoy. Secondly – how quickly I can sink a pint when I need to run back in time for the next film starting. Lastly – how much of a sausage fest horror events can be.
Whilst there is always a strong female presence, women are still a notable minority. When I decided that I wanted to do more than just talk about horror constantly, I thought that it might be interesting to start writing about horror from a female point of view.
There are some amazing women in the industry currently doing some fantastic things, proving time and time again that women can be just as brutal and badass (and possibly even sometimes better, but I am biased) so I figured it made sense to celebrate with a regular post showcasing some of the great work women are doing across the genre. So for the sake of exploiting some simple alliteration, I thought there would be no better time to start talking about some of the great female writer and directors of the genre than a Wednesday.
Most Beautiful Island
Written, directed, produced AND starring Asa Asensio
2017
Most Beautiful Island tells the story of a young woman, newly living in the US without status after fleeing an undisclosed trauma in her native Spain.
The movie feels indie and intimate, with the majority of its runtime spent building up the viewers connection to the protagonist, Luciana. This really helps accentuate her pain and loneliness as she struggles to make ends meet in what seems to be a hopeless situation and so you can understand her plight and desperation as she takes up a job that sends up huge red flags.
The horror is subtle and tense, with the main terror occurring entirely in the final third of the film. The connection the viewer has with Luciana makes it feel like there is so much more at stake as the sense of panic starts to rise, and I found myself literally holding my breath in some of the final scenes. Possibly in part due to a pretty intense phobia that I won’t mention so as to not ruin things.
Most Beautiful Island is delicate and beautiful. A subtle horror that at its core, says so much more than it seems about the perilous and difficult situations many people find themselves in living in the USA that ultimately highlights how everyone is just trying to survive.
I’d be really interested to hear your thoughts if you caught this film, which is currently available on Amazon Prime, especially if you’re another female horror fan!
Where my bitches at?!
Beck
x
