October is the season of horror movies, many of which feature a “final girl.” She is the perfectly messy and perfectly traumatized female character that makes it to the end of the film against all odds. If you are looking to shake up your viewing experience from the typical horror movie directed by and for men, here are five movies from female directors that you probably haven’t seen but should definitely watch:
1. for the body horror fans
“Titane” and “Raw” are Julia Ducournau’s stand-out films, centering on troubled young women who have cravings for murder and human flesh (respectively). Both films are grotesque, disturbing, and will leave you with a pit in your stomach – but hey, what is Halloween for? Both films center on women with insatiable cravings that they cannot reach. These french films are a must-see for the body horror fan this October. Watch “Titane” free on Hulu, and “Raw” free on Netflix, or rent both films on Youtube.
2. for the blood-sucking fans
“A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night” is a scary sentence in and of itself for any young woman, but what if that girl was a blood-thirsty, lonely vampire? This black-and-white, Persian-language film directed by Ana Lily Amirpour is a fresh take far from the typical sex-centered and erotic vampire film. This film is available for rent on Amazon or free with Tubi, Plutotv, and PLEX.
3. the slow burns
“Saint Maud” follows a young woman who toes the line from hopeless protagonist to evil villain as the viewer is forced to question her intentions throughout every step of the film. This debut from Rose Glass is a stunning and well-acted movie about faith, madness, and salvation. This devout Roman Catholic hospice nurse will give you chills as she navigates what she believes are God’s tasks for her. Watch for free with Amazon Prime or Paramount+.
4. 26 films in one
“The ABCs of Death” is a horror-anthology movie that features 26 international filmmakers. Each director is assigned a letter of the alphabet with the freedom to choose a word and build a story around it involving death. “The ABCs of Death 2” features female directors from Lithuania to Canada in a wide variety of spooky stories. Make sure to check out the Soska Sisters’ twisted tale for the letter “T.” Available for rent on Amazon or watch free on Plutotv and PLEX.
5. fantasy
“Tigers Are Not Afraid” is a Mexican crime-fantasy horror film by Issa Lopez. By combining fairy tales, ghost stories, and real-world problems, Lopez creates a truly unique film that follows orphaned children just trying to survive. The ghosts are not the only thing that will haunt you during this movie. Available for rent on Amazon or included with a Shudder subscription
Get ready to add “Horror Movies” to the list of things that women do better than men.