
VIFF 2024 Review: Fréwaka
Fréwaka (2024)
Directed by Aislinn Clarke
Stepping away from the found-footage horror of The Devil’s Doorway (2018), Aislinn Clarke’s second feature, Fréwaka, is a moody, beautifully shot gothic horror film with a dash of folk horror.
Clare Monnelly stars as Shoo (short for something long and Irish), a young Irish woman on the cusp of motherhood with her Ukrainian partner. But any hope for a smooth transition into parenthood is shattered when Shoo’s estranged mother commits suicide. It’s clear she hasn’t seen her mother in years, and as the couple sorts through her mother’s belongings, Shoo receives a message from her nursing service. Despite her partner’s objections, Shoo takes a job in a remote village, leaving him to clean up. The job? Caring for an elderly woman who’s had a stroke and requires a native Irish speaker—luckily, Shoo fits the bill.
Enter Peig, played with intense fierceness by Bríd Ní Neachtain. You might recognize her from her small role in The Banshees of Inisherin (2022), but here, she commands far more screen time, mostly as a foil to Shoo. Peig puts Shoo through hell, but over time, they form a bond that may be more than your typical caregiver-patient relationship.
The score is subtle and atmospheric, but as the supernatural elements begin to surface, the music becomes more pointed. No cheap jump-scare sound bites here—just enough tension to make me shift in my seat. The sound design pairs beautifully with the visuals, which are drab and muted when Shoo is outside or in neutral environments, but once she steps into Peig’s home, we’re treated to rich colors, moody lighting, and shifting depths of field that draw your eye exactly where it needs to be.
Clarke clearly knows how to craft compelling visuals and soundscapes, but I never quite grasped the stakes or rules of this world. A little more exposition—perhaps through the classic “research the unknown with an old tome” trope—might have made the scares hit harder. The setup and premise are fantastic, but the third act fizzles, where other recent films from more seasoned directors shine. Think Kill List (2011) by Ben Wheatley or The Lighthouse (2019) by Robert Eggers, and even Ari Aster’s Midsommar (2019).
That said, I’m still excited to see what Clarke does next, and I’ll be seeking out her found-footage debut, The Devil’s Doorway, which is currently available on Shudder.
Recommended for fans of slow-burn horror. Catch it Saturday at 4 p.m. at the Rio. But if you’re in the mood for blood and guts, go see Substance—playing nationwide instead.