Darlin'
Found at a Catholic hospital filthy and ferocious, feral teenager Darlin’ is whisked off to a care home run by The Bishop and his obedient nuns, where she’s to be rehabilitated into a "good girl" as an example of the miraculous work of the church. But Darlin’ holds a secret darker than the "sins" she is threatened with, and she is not traveling alone. The Woman who raised her, equally fierce and feral, is ever present in the shadows of Darlin’s psyche and is determined to come for her no matter who tries to get in her way.
Why it matters
A feral coming-of-age horror that blends body horror with a twisted critique of religious control and female agency.
- Pollyanna McIntosh commands as The Woman, embodying primal menace with unnerving grace.
- Director/co-writer McIntosh deepens her trilogy’s exploration of wild femininity and survival outside civilization’s rules.
- Grimy, oppressive Catholic hospital setting amplifies the clash between nature and dogma, evoking folk horror and cult dread.
- Fans of "The Woman" (2011) and Catherine Hardwicke’s "Red Riding Hood" will appreciate its dark fairy tale vibe mixed with visceral, practical effects.
Director
2 horror films in catalog
Cast
Horror DNA
Gore
100
Slow Burn
33
Psychological
100
Supernatural
20
Creature
36
Disturbing
100
Fun Factor
17
Cerebral
71
Survival
66
