7 Horror Movies Directed By Women To Watch On Halloween 2023
When you think of great horror movie directors you think of John Carpenter, Wes Craven, Dario Argento, James Wan, and David Cronenberg. But some of the best and most interesting horror movies at the moment are directed by women and this list gives you a chance to discover them.
While women often play an important part on-screen throughout horror history, there hasn’t always been a huge amount of opportunities for female directors to shine behind the camera. These seven movies all offer something slightly different depending on what kind of horror movie you want to watch this Halloween. So put aside the classics, and the big Hollywood sequels and dig into these little-known genre gems directed by famous femme filmmakers.
The Babadook
Directed by Australian filmmaker, Jennifer Kent, The Babadook is a genuinely terrifying horror movie about a single mother and her son who believes that they are living with a monster. Still dealing with the traumatic death of her husband, Amelia initially dismisses her son’s concerns. However, a mysterious and unsettling presence makes itself known in the house, terrifying both mother and son. Kent has gone on to direct the 2018 movie The Nightingale and also directed an episode of Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities.
Saint Maud
The directorial debut of British filmmaker, Rose Glass sees her tackle the terror of religious fervor and obsession. Maud is a nurse at a Christian hospice trying to save the soul of a dying patient. But her fixation on the patient’s salvation becomes dangerous and disturbing. Fuelled by her own trauma Maud’s obsession leads to unforeseen terror. The movie was nominated for two BAFTA awards and Glass was recognized as Best Debut Director at the British Independent Film Awards.