Three women enter into a three-year pact to awaken the witches within and conquer the male-dominated black metal scene. Together, they form the band Witch Club Satan. With their aggressive sound and grotesque, blood-soaked performances, they defy the odds and find success. But their embrace of paganism and Satanism also provokes outrage. In a witch trial worthy of the 17th century, they face condemnation and the flames.

Driven by aggressive witch shrieks and primal roars, Hex’s Dolby Atmos soundtrack delivers one of the year’s most visceral sonic experiences.

KK

A remote coastal town in the South Korean countryside is suddenly attacked by something none of the residents have ever seen before. Mysterious events begin to unfold, and it soon becomes clear that something highly unusual is happening.

Hope has been described as South Korea’s most expensive film production and premiered in the Midnight Section at the Cannes Film Festival in May, where it was met with a highly positive reception.

The film is directed by Na Hong-jin, the man behind the fantastic The Wailing from 2016. Hope is intense, surprising, fast-paced, action-packed, and unexpectedly funny, exactly the kind of film it’s best to know as little as possible about beforehand.

It’s finally time for a long-awaited, newly restored and uncensored version of Ken Russell’s wildly over-the-top, controversial classic The Devils! This hyper-stylized and notorious film is loosely based on a historical witch trial in France (the Loudun possessions). Set in the 17th century, it follows a Catholic priest (Oliver Reed) who is accused of devil worship, while a nun (Vanessa Redgrave) who lusts after the priest is suspected of being possessed by the Devil himself.

The Devils is a lot: think the naked, violent critique of power of Pasolini’s Salò mixed with Monty Python’s Life of Brian, the sexual melodrama of Black Narcissus, and Żuławski’s feverish nightmare Possession. The film is spectacularly brutal and relentlessly propulsive, jumping from one intense, pivotal moment to the next. The Devils is packed with carnivalesque violence, reflections on power, and transgressive desire. At last, we can experience it newly restored and uncensored on the big screen!

EEL

Saga and her British husband Jon dream of starting the perfect family and move to a remote house deep in the Finnish forest, where Saga spent much of her childhood. But when their baby is born, Saga immediately senses that something is terribly wrong, despite everyone around her insisting there is nothing to worry about.

The chaos of early parenthood has rarely been rendered in such bloody, hairy fashion. Blending folk horror, satire and creature feature, the film serves up ominous Nordic landscapes, primal female power and bursts of brutal violence, all driven by a soundscape creepy enough to scare the devil himself. If you remember Bergholm’s previous film, Hatching (2022), you’ll have a pretty good idea of what you’re in for.

TG

Get ready for an intense cinema experience. Imagine being on a solo dive, only to be swallowed by a whale, together with an angry squid. Whalefall is based on Daniel Kraus’ novel from 2023 of the same name. It’s a kind of chamber piece, but set inside a chamber few of us know particularly well, with a soundscape that make Whalefall a truly sweaty experience.

If you haven’t read the book, we won’t spoil what happens, except to say that it involves a tricky situation, very little oxygen, entrails, and plenty of drama. This one really has to be seen on the big screen!

This year’s opening film will have its first and exclusive screening in Norway at the Ramaskrik Film Festival.

MH