“The most beautiful and terrible film — sublime visually — beyond all experience, beyond all hope.” – Thea Porter

It’s been called “harrowing” (The Guardian), “seriously disturbing” (Blu-ray.com) and “part documentary, part primal scream” (Screen Slate). More than half a century later, it remains all that and more. Feminist and radical theatre icon Jane Arden adapts her own multimedia production “A New Communion for Freaks, Prophets and Witches” in this nightmarish exploration of reason, chaos and her own battles with mental illness that’s unlike anything audiences have seen before or since. Arden’s violent and powerful film peers into the mind of a woman labeled schizophrenic and finds, not madness, but tortured sexual guilt created by the taboos of society. Sheila Allen, Ann Lynn, renowned visual artist Penny Slinger, and Arden herself star in the only British feature film of the 1970s directed solely by a woman.

“I don’t know of anyone in cinema who has penetrated the psyche to the extent she has or evolved visual language of such richness and strength to convey what she has to say” – Molly Plowright, Glasgow Herald

“A shattering experience” – BBC Radio 1

“A boldly feminist film in its engagement with, and rejection of, the contemporary place of women in British society.” – Chelsea Phillips-Carr, cléo

“A descent into what is called ‘madness’ or ‘schizophrenia’ demands a radical break from cinematic conventions and Jane Arden has achieved a major breakthrough. The movie follows the death and rebirth of a human being in terms which echo the world of R.D. Laing and David Cooper. At the same time it promises a rebirth of the cinema. It is a terrifying, haunting, and enriching experience.” – David Will

“★★★★★ – Once you enter The Other Side of the Underneath, you simply can’t go back..” – Cinema from the Spectrum

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.