★★★ out of ★★★★★
Directed by Charlotte Colbert
She Will is the story of actress Veronica Ghent (Alice Krige), who after having a double mastectomy goes on a healing retreat in the Scottish Highlands accompanied, begrudgingly, by her nurse Desi (Kota Eberhardt). Upon arrival they discover that the retreat center is built on grounds that have served as the location for burning women thought to be witches and their ashes are said to impart healing properties to the soil.
While at the retreat, the spirits of the wronged women begin to seep into Veronica’s soul forcing her to confront her own past abuse suffered at the hands of a director (Malcom McDowell in a character not so subtly reminiscent of Roman Polanski) as he plans to cast a new ingenue for a remake of Victoria’s debut film.
She Will is a psychological horror film that addresses female relatonships (Veronica and her young nurse develop a powerful bond over the course of the film), aging, illness and the legacy of trauma both in Veronica and the young women who lost their lives after being accused of witchcraft.
Produced by Dario Argento (yes, THE Dario Argento), She Will is a feast for the senses, from the rural Scottish setting to the haunting score to the visually stunning climax of Malcom McDowell’s story line, viewers are in for a treat. It is a slow burn (no pun intended) “thinker” with strong feminist viewpoints. My only wish was that the “witch dial” had been turned up and we’d been given a full plate of witchy vengence and not just a bite.
She Will will be released in theaters and digitally June 15, 2022 by IFC Midnight.