Girl Dinner: The 10 Best Films About Cannibal Women [Watch]
Kaiya Shunyata
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Girl dinner is all the rage right now. The popular TikTok trend features women detailing the eating of snack boards consisting of bread, cheese, and fruits for dinner, instead of actual meals. But, “girl dinner” can also be whatever you like—your go-to comfort food or even leftovers from the night before. Perhaps, it could even be flesh.
From Ethel Cain’s 2022 album “Preacher’s Daughter” to the hit Showtime show Yellowjackets, cannibalism and all these surrounding it have become perhaps more popular than they’ve ever been. Most of these new renditions of cannibalism focus on female subjects, using the affliction for flesh as a means to represent everything from sexual awakenings to the ostracization outcasts face in society. Underneath the ever-present appetite, lies a craving for connection and acceptance.
The following ten films are the best renditions of female cannibalism, from under-seen films to popular cult classics. They may not be for the faint of heart, but each of these films demonstrates the versatility of the concept of cannibalism, and how the subgenre keeps reinventing itself. In doing so, the concept of “girl dinner” becomes a harrowing and oftentimes empathetic exploration of womanhood.
Dumplings
Directed by Fruit Chan, this 2004 Hong Kong horror film uses cannibalism as a means to symbolize various societal expectations placed upon women. The film follows an aging former actress who is losing her passion for life, as well as her marriage. In the search for a remedy for her situation, she seeks the help of a local chef, who cooks her up dumplings that she claims to be great for rejuvenation. What the actress doesn’t know is that each dumpling is infused with bits of unborn fetuses, which is the ingredient that eventually helps her to appear younger. Mmm, girl dinner. The film is an excellent take on the depths one will go through in their pursuit of vanity, and the societal pressures to look young that women face.
Bones and All
Coming off of his 2018 hit horror film Suspiria, Luca Guadagnino traded dance schools for the vast Midwest. One part coming-of-age drama and one part cannibal love story, the film follows Maren after she’s abandoned by her father due to her affliction for flesh. Maren (Taylor Russel) thinks of her newfound affliction with fascination, not thinking of herself as an outsider but rather someone who is simply different. The lore surrounding “eaters” here is also incredibly intriguing, with “eaters” being able to sense each other akin to vampires. The film is unwaveringly empathetic in regard to something as provocative as cannibalism, showcasing that while she may eat people, Maren is simply looking for a place to belong.
Der Fan
German film Der Fan follows Simone (Désirée Nosbusch), a young woman obsessed with a new-wave pop singer known as R. She spends her days listening to his music, writing him letters, and awaiting a response. The two finally meet at an autograph session outside a television studio, and they later have sex. After this, though, R rejects Simone, igniting a violent rage inside her. The film does an excellent job of portraying the burgeoning sexual awakening of its protagonist, trading in strict models of lust for a more intense hunger. In wanting to consume the man who turned her down, Simone’s parasocial relationship with the rockstar becomes even more unstable. Consuming him allows her to not only live out a girlhood fantasy, but get a taste of his fame as well, making sure that R will always be a part of her life, and her physical being.
Raw
While French director Julia Ducournau won the Palme d’Or at Cannes for her 2021 film Titane, it was her debut feature that put her on the map. Ducournau’s first film Raw focuses on lifelong vegetarian Justine (Garance Marillier) who is attending school to be a veterinarian. As part of her hazing by the older students, Justine is forced to eat meat, which ignites a spark inside of her that will change the trajectory of her life.
The taste of meat forces her to salivate for something more, and human flesh begins to almost call out to her. It’s an insatiable hunger and one that leads her down a road she may not be able to recover from, fracturing all her relationships along the way. Raw peels back the layers of societal norms, forcing us to confront that the line between human nature and animal instinct may not be as clear as we think.
The Neon Demon
Now, cannibalism isn’t a defining factor in Nicolas Winding Refn’s The Neon Demon, but it does serve as the crux for the film’s shocking finale. Once the film’s protagonist Jesse’s (Elle Fanning) presence in the modeling industry begins to outshine her peers, their jealousy increases in a sickening way. They chase her down in a rage and shove her into a pool, later brutalizing her body and finally, eating her. Ruby (played by a stellar Jena Malone) is seen indulging in her version of girl dinner, feasting on Jesse’s flesh in a pile of dirt, face smeared with the earth and Jesse’s blood. It’s a stunning and haunting image, juxtaposing the beauty of both Jesse and Ruby being broken down into an animalistic sacrifice; one that continues the cycle of violence in the modeling world and the sphere of female friendship.
Jennifer’s Body
Perhaps the most famous instance of cannibalism in a horror film arrives in Karyn Kusama’s Jennifer’s Body. The film follows Needy (Amanda Seyfried) and her best friend Jennifer (Megan Fox), who after they attend a concert of a local band is ritually sacrificed. But, because Jennifer isn’t a virgin, the sacrifice goes wrong, and Jennifer comes back from the dead. She’s different now, gaining her bodily autonomy back through the act of devouring not just human flesh, but the flesh of men specifically. In one of the film’s most popular scenes, Needy asks “You’re killing people?” to which Jennifer replies, “No. I’m killing boys.” It’s a near-perfect revenge horror, infused with quips and subtext that make it a modern queer cult classic it is.
Gretel & Hansel
As eerie as it is enticing, Gretel & Hansel could have been another predictable adaptation. But, in the hands of Oz Perkins, this fantastical horror film became one of the best versions of this story, with captivating visuals so arresting that it feels almost as if you too are being hypnotized. The film follows the titular characters who, after their father dies, are sent into the neighboring woods in an attempt to find work and food. They eventually find a creepy yet charming cottage where a woman named Holda (Alice Krige) invites the children in for a meal and eventually allows them to stay, in exchange for work. It soon becomes clear that Holda’s intentions aren’t from the good of her heart, but rather a place where evil resides. The film is a gorgeous exploration of power, familial bonds, and how hunger can lead us to do unspeakable things.
In My Skin
An early piece of girl dinner cinema, this underrated gem follows Esther (Marina de Van), an ambitious woman who after she injures herself at a party, continues down a path of self-mutilation. She doesn’t initially feel the pain, and after realizing this, she treats self-mutilation as if she knows how much violence her body can take. Esther’s need to self-harm seems to stem from a desire for bodily autonomy, and in doing so she wreaks havoc upon herself. From slashing at her own skin to gnawing on its remnants, Esther’s mutilation slowly evolves into a yearning to consume herself. In taking ownership of her own body in the most severe way, Esther is able to finally feel at home in her own skin.
Trouble Every Day
Famed director Claire Denis’s most popular films are her arthouse dramas, yet her most ambitious film remains Trouble Every Day. The film follows Dr. Shane Brown (Vincent Gallo), who is attempting to investigate his elusive ex-colleague, a man who keeps his wife Coré (Béatrice Dalle) locked inside their house. Coré is obsessed with engaging in sexual activities with men before brutally killing them, and her husband helps dispose of the bodies. When Shane encounters Coré, his life with his own wife is disrupted by Coré’s fascinating affliction. Denis expertly weaves together eroticism and carnage, and in understanding the intrinsic link between hunger and sexual prowess, Trouble Every Day becomes one of the best cannibalism films of all time.
Eat
Struggling actress Novella’s (Meggie Maddock) life begins to unravel as she develops an affliction for not just flesh, but specifically her own flesh. It becomes a form of self-punishment, devouring her own skin as a means to punish herself for her failing career. Novella’s affliction, unlike many other cannibal films, is linked to something darker than just a coming-of-age or a simple hunger. It feels as if her affliction is an addiction, relapsing once she attempts to stop, and frustrated by the indescribable longing for flesh between her teeth. Director Jimmy Webber makes use of a tight budget, with Eat showcasing some of the most harrowing gore in any cannibal film, stomach-churning as much as Novella’s arc is fascinating.
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