30 Woman-Friendly Horror Movies for the Thrill-Seeking Feminist

Absentia

Absentia, Screencap via Fallback Plan Productions/Phase 4 Films

Sub-Genre: Supernatural

What it’s about: Tricia’s husband Daniel disappeared seven years ago, and she is just now accepting that she’s not coming back. When she starts the process to declare him dead “in absentia,” her sister Callie comes to stay with her for a while for moral support. But when Callie has a strange encounter in a tunnel on a jog, a series of very strange events occur. Just as Tricia is moving on, Callie discovers further complexity surrounding the tunnel and what it might have to do with Daniel’s disappearance.

What makes it feminist: The main feminist components of Absentia are the sisters’ characterizations and actions. One sister, Tricia, is dealing with the tragedy of her missing husband, all while pregnant by someone else. Callie, who comes to support her as she’s declaring “death in absentia,” is coping with her addiction problems.

The varied experiences and personalities of the women fend off judgment and stereotype. Tricia is seen as a motherly figure, both by her interactions with Callie and the fact that she is preparing to become an actual mother. But she is also represented as having a rich internal life herself. Her sexuality is not underplayed, and even as she copes with Daniel’s disappearance, she seems ready to embark on a new life.

Callie as an addict could be easily put into a certain box. Filmmakers, especially those in horror, are sometimes quick to portray addicts as sketchy, untrustworthy delinquents. But one of the standout images for Callie’s character is when she hangs a cross above her temporary bed. Callie’s religion helps her to cope with her addiction, a complexity that is often true in real life but ignored in movies.

Both of the sisters have one-word stereotypes that they could have been boxed into – “mother” and “addict.” But writer/director Mike Flanagan gives them full personalities and lives beyond those designations.