Between the 16th and 18th centuries, Scotland carried out numerous witch trials, resulting in thousands of deaths according to historical estimates. Many more than their English neighbours. This disparity can be attributed to many factors, but the end result remains the same. It goes without saying that the vast majority of these victims were women. She Will tackles this historical injustice from a very modern perspective.
After a double mastectomy, aging actress Veronica Ghent (Alice Krige) travels to a healing retreat in Scotland in an attempt to deal with the trauma. The once famous movie star is accompanied by her young nurse, Desi (Kota Eberhardt). The recent difficult surgery has forced her to start facing up to her own identity crisis and a childhood trauma. Along the way, she discovers a mysterious way to enact her revenge and take the power back.
She Will is a highly atmospheric British horror which uses the rural setting to full effect. Charlotte Colbert’s feature debut plays with a lot of interesting elements and is full of imaginative, often hallucinatory, sequences. It doesn’t quite all come together as a whole but it’s fascinating to go along for the ride. She Will is an impressive calling card from a writer/director who is well worth keeping an eye on.
She Will opens in select cinemas and on demand in the US on 15 July.
