WEREWOLF (1968) — ultra-rare Estonian folk horror

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WEREWOLF (1968) — ultra-rare Estonian folk horror

March 23 : 2:00 pm 3:30 pm

“Wow, this is one of the most thrilling discoveries in recent memory… kaleidoscopic cinematic poetry…beautifully sharp monochrome with ominous sounds. Estonian masterpiece. Leida Laius is one of best auteurs nobody knows.” – Tettyo0910, Letterboxd

A tragically underseen gem of folk-tale cinema, WEREWOLF (a.k.a. Libahunt) is swirling, monochromatic dream cinema, poetic, terrifying, and entrancing. Adapted by Leida Laius— one of the greatest filmmakers you’ve never heard of — from August Kitzberg’s 1912 play, the film is set on the remote Tammaru farm, where a couple takes in two orphan girls, even-tempered Mari and hot-blooded Tiina, whose mother was executed for witchcraft. The couple’s biological son, Margus, falls in love with Tiina, but his parents want him to marry Mari. Believing that Tiina has bewitched Margus, Mari publicly accuses her stepsister of being a werewolf, leading to tragic consequences. Filmed in gorgeous black-and-white deep in the forests of Estonia, WEREWOLF is practically unknown in the US, but its stirring imagery — including the Midsommar-like ritual celebration sequence that opens the film — deserves to make it a classic of adventurous art-horror cinema.

This film is presented as part of Arkadin’s FEMALE FILMMAKERS ON THE EDGE, exploring works by female directors that boldly challenge conventions and expand the scope of what cinema can be.

Arkadin does not generally provide advisories about subject matter or potentially triggering content in films, as sensitivities vary from person to person. However, we encourage researching titles to determine if a screening may contain content that could be upsetting to you. Please feel free to contact us for guidance on specific films. Information about content can also be found on Common Sense Media, IMDB and DoesTheDogDie.com, as well as through general internet searches.