Erica Dymond (East Stroudsburg University)
Midsommar, Saint Maud, False Positive, Hereditary, The Hole in the Ground, The Witch, etc. All of these A24 horror films feature women in crisis. Most are struggling with their mental health, most are betrayed by their loved ones, most are literally or emotionally isolated, and most are victims of an uncaring world. In all cases, the films end with the physical or figurative destruction of woman. She is insane, incinerated, beheaded, broken, forever haunted ... The question remains, should viewers accept these endings? Should they be viewed exploitative or unnecessarily shocking? Or is there room to view these as a warning? This panel will examine the treatment of women in A24 horror films with a strong focus on the outcome for these women. Potential panelists are welcome to closely examine one film or conduct an overview of like films (ex. ones that involve children, ones that involve pregnancy, ones that involve infidelity, etc.).