‘Heresy’ Review: Stellar Psychedelic Folk Horror [HARD:LINE Film Festival 2025]
As a woman of a certain age who’s married without children, I’m constantly reminded of how many people, even family members, view me as nothing more than a walking womb. My worth is determined by my desire to grow a child inside of me, which seems to be part of living as a woman since time immemorial.
In his new film, Heresy, director Didier Konings examines that societal pressure through the lens of a woman unable to bear children, crafting a heart-wrenching and gorgeous piece of folk horror that gets to the frustrating heart of being seen as nothing more than a vessel for childbirth.
Heresy is set in a medieval Dutch village on the edge of your traditional spooky forest, where the shadows seem supernaturally long and strange sounds emanate from the trees. The village is small and ruled over by a priest who declares the word of God, which more often than not leans in favor of the village’s men (even its local rapist).
Here, Frieda (Anneke Sluiters) tries to live as a good wife, contributing to the village, saying her prayers, and trying her damndest to get pregnant. But as she exhausts her options, she feels hopeless in her dream of being a mother.
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But after a traumatic encounter with another villager in the woods, a presence saves Frieda’s life and latches itself onto her, throwing her beliefs into question. As the otherworldly creature follows her and strange things begin happening around the village, Frieda is repeatedly accused of witchcraft. As she tries to defend herself, her rage only grows as her family and friends turn their backs on her in the name of their God.
At only 60 minutes long, Heresy tells its story quickly, introducing its characters and wrapping up the story in a satisfying way in just an hour. While that’s an impressive feat, I only wish it were longer! The world-building accomplished by Konings and writer Nollkaemper is remarkable and fully realized, something that doesn’t often come across in folk horror films. Plus, the film delivers on psychedelic visuals and terrifyingly beautiful forest gods that are often alluded to but not explicitly shown in the subgenre.
Films like The Witch and Hagazussa tease and briefly show the supernatural forces that lurk in the forest. But Heresy dives headfirst into the things that live just beyond the treeline. While the film’s setup feels like typical folk horror, its monsters and how it delivers on those monsters set it apart as something truly special. It’s a pay-off similar to that of The Ritual as we’re granted the ability to see the deity responsible for all this chaos.
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Sluiters is stunning as the increasingly feral Frieda, who is just trying to survive in an already harsh world. The actor is able to capture both Frieda’s strength and her fear in the face of the unknown, letting Frieda experience that uncertainty while never letting her resolve waver.
Plus, she is dragged through the dirt in more ways than one, showing off her physicality even under a mess of skirts and period-appropriate garb.
Heresy is a visual feast and pitch-perfect folk horror for an age where women continue to be defined by their ability and desire to bear children. A compelling lead further elevates that message, while its practical effects solidify it as a shockingly gory example of folk horror storytelling.
I wouldn’t mind another film set in this world, where strange forest gods watch from afar and humans are violently reminded of just how small they are in the universe.
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Heresy
Summary
Heresy is a heart-wrenching and gorgeous piece of folk horror that gets to the frustrating heart of being seen as nothing more than a vessel for childbirth.
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