Dylyn C.S. says Two Witches is a female-led film drenched in blood and wine, serving feminist depravity at its finest.
Pierre Tsigaridis’ chilling tale Two Witches is a horror film exploring the lives of devilishly enchanting women, each witch with her own distinct story. Segmented into three parts, it begins with Sarah (Belle Adams) and Simon (Ian Michaels) dining at a French restaurant. Pregnant with Simon’s child, Sarah declines an offer of wine from her partner, reminding him of her pregnancy and alluding to his thoughtlessness. The two exchange a smile or two amidst low-grade tension until their date night takes a darker turn. Disquieted by a glare from an old woman, Sarah comes to believe a terrible curse has befallen her.
Two Witches descends into a violently wicked slow-burn possessed by the spirit of paranoid 70s horror films. With echoes of John D. Hancock’s gravely underappreciated Let’s Scare Jessica to Death (1971) and Dario Argento’s horror classic Suspiria (1977), the female-led treasure has us entranced from the outset.
Two Witches features a wealth of characters with disturbed and interconnected storylines. In their roles as unlucky friends of Sarah and Simon, Dina Silva plays spiritual medium Melissa with Tim Fox as her initially skeptical boyfriend Dustin. Co-writer Kristina Klebe also joins the cast as museum curator Rachel, roommate to infernal terror—and in my eyes, the best part of the film—Masha. Her vicious portrayal of the perpetually-grinning witch Masha, Rebekah Kennedy causes our skin to crawl in a lovely way that can’t be easily shaken off. She’s by far the vilest and most memorable part of the film, brutally challenging patriarchal norms of propriety through sordid acts of violence.
With its lush and lurid imagery, beautifully off-putting score, and stunning direction, it's shocking to find that Two Witches is Pierre Tsigaridis’s first feature-length film. Having previously directed Dina Silva and Ian Michaels in the horror short I Who Have No One (2019), however, it’s understandable why there was natural ease from the actors on-screen. It’s clear Tsigaridis is both a passionate filmmaker and a force to be reckoned with. Even the gore-spattered dream sequences and vibrantly ornate set designs pay tribute to 70s horror, reminiscent of modern throwbacks like Ti West’s The House of The Devil (2009), and Luca Guadagnino’s remake of Suspiria (2018), all featuring strong female leads.
As a female-led film drenched in blood and wine, Two Witches felt like feminist depravity at its finest. The film was frightfully empowering and spoke often to the misogynistic pressures to be squeaky-clean and virginal. That being said, I would have loved to see more character development for each of the women involved, especially with regard to Masha, like a much deeper look into her Romanian heritage and generational magic. I find myself obsessed with this film and hope many like it follow.
Two Witches premieres exclusively on Arrow Video on October 1, 2022.
