Groundhog Town

Who's Superstitious?

January 1943 •English

This short film examines the origins of several superstitions including crossing your fingers, knocking on wood, rabbit's feet, and breaking champagne bottles to christen ships, plus the role of superstitions in the Flying Dutchman tale.

Häxan

September 1922 •Swedish

Grave robbing, torture, possessed nuns, and a satanic Sabbath: Benjamin Christensen's legendary film uses a series of dramatic vignettes to explore the scientific hypothesis that the witches of the Middle Ages suffered the same hysteria as turn-of-the-century psychiatric patients. But the film itself is far from serious-- instead it's a witches' brew of the scary, gross, and darkly humorous.

Another Dimension

January 2012 •Estonian

UFOs and spirits can be seen in Salme municipality on the island Saaremaa. There are viking skeletons and the Sõnajalg family wind turbines coming out of the depths of the earth and a helicopter flying to a village shop scares away cow herds. There are two realities here that do not fit together.

Vadātājs

November 2013 •Latvian

'Vadātājs' is an ancient Latvian mythological creature that leads people to Nowhere. As Latvia has been declared the most superstitious country in the EU, it is important to understand – what do we believe in? Three young filmmakers – a director, cinematographer and sound girl – question if Latvia is a lost country and if a Vadātājs has achieved enormous power by leading Latvian society into confusion. A search for a contemporary Vadātājs*, and the understanding of the origins of confusion within people in the 21st century.

Black Cats and Broomsticks

October 1955 •English

Superstitions are examined in the context of mid-20th century America. Walking under ladders, spilt salt, stepping on cracks, haunted houses, voodoo dolls, and such are used to illustrate the widespread belief in the supernatural.

Possessed by Djinn

April 2015 •Arabic

Sparked by the true story of Aya, a four-year-old Jordanian girl killed by her father because he believed her to be possessed, filmmaker Dalia Al Kury launches a fascinating investigation into a controversial and little-known aspect of Islamic culture: belief in djinn. The djinn are believed to be supernatural creatures that occupy a parallel world to ours and their emergence is associated with sexuality, political unrest, poverty and mental illness. The taboo subject of demonic possession remains broadly unresolved in the hearts and minds of some Muslims due to its complex and uncomfortable nature. Using a subjective, “undercover” style, Al Kury journeys into the obscure world of exorcists and the possessed, confronting their traditions and rituals. It makes for a telling ghost story that bares the filmmaker’s and her society’s subconscious underbelly.

Several Successful Situations; Simultaneous & Successive

September 2024 •English

I enjoy religion, I appreciate belief systems and how they offer structure to people's lives. I also appreciate how spirituality manifests itself in Asian cultures as this almost earthbound presence guiding people through every day life and when they need an extra bit of help they need only ask whichever deity holds dominion over their desire. Here is an experimental film I made with videos from my iPhone. Shot across Taiwan and South Korea. An experimental film I made with videos from my iPhone. Shot across Taiwan and Korea. My aim was to explore success in how it pertains to every day life, the satisfaction of small moments, spirituality, superstition, and daily rituals.

Omo Child: The River and the Bush

February 2015 •English

For many generations people in the Omo Valley (tribal southwest Ethiopia) believed some children are cursed and that these 'cursed' children bring disease, drought and death to the tribe. The curse is called 'mingi' and mingi children are killed. Lale Labuko, a young educated man from the Kara tribe was 15 years old when he saw a child in his village killed and also learned that he had 2 older sisters he never knew who had been killed. He decided one day he would stop this horrific practice. Filmed over a five year period we follow Lale's journey along with the people of his tribe as they attempt to change an ancient practice.

The Fairy Faith

February 2000 •English

Walker takes us on a personal journey into a world of myth and imagination that he learned from his grandmother. He travels from the Moors of Devon and the Highlands of Scotland to the brooding Celtic landscapes of Ireland and the intimate hills of Cape Breton, in his search of this potent “otherworld” of the imagination.

The Curse of Poltergeist

October 2002 •English

Exploring the popular film series and several tragedies amongst the cast members.

L'attaccatura

January 1971 •Italian

Housebound

September 2014 •English

When Kylie Bucknell is sentenced to home detention, she's forced to come to terms with her unsociable behaviour, her blabbering mother and a hostile spirit who seems less than happy about the new living arrangement.

Luck

August 2022 •English

Suddenly finding herself in the never-before-seen Land of Luck, the unluckiest person in the world must unite with the magical creatures there to turn her luck around.

The Serpent and the Rainbow

February 1988 •English

A Harvard anthropologist is sent to Haiti to retrieve a strange powder that is said to have the power to bring human beings back from the dead. In his quest to find the miracle drug, the cynical scientist enters the rarely seen netherworld of walking zombies, blood rites and ancient curses. Based on the true life experiences of Wade Davis and filmed on location in Haiti, it's a frightening excursion into black magic and the supernatural.

Black Crown

May 1951 •Spanish

A woman suffers from amnesia after killing her husband, who was just about to demand a divorce for having found her engaging in an affair with a lover, who is only interested in her to find where some precious jewels are hidden.

Nagana

February 1933 •English

A doctor searches for the cure for nagana, the sleeping sickness caused by the tsetse fly.

Kottukkaali

August 2024 •Tamil

A family decides to visit their clan God to cure their daughter, believed to be possessed but in fact is in love with a man from a different caste. The journey accompanied by her betrothed, unveils tensions between tradition and personal freedom, exposing her silent rebellion.

Once Upon a Time I Loved You

January 2003 •English

Lon is an author who wants to write a book on superstitious practices in the provinces. He decides to rent a house in a village rumored to be a center of black magic. As soon as he gets there he finds out it's haunted. He gets involved with the daughter of the village headman who has a boyfriend already. Like her father he's a small town gangster. He gets jealous and decides to use black magic on him. However, the ghost who is really his ex-wife from a past life does her best to try to fight him and the rest of them off.

Ded na si Lolo

May 2009 •Tagalog

A large family with lots of issues gather together to mourn the death of the family patriarch. But getting in the way of their genuine grief are a bunch of superstitions about the dead, and the family's inability to deal with their issues in a civilized way.

Black Cat, White Cat

June 1998 •Serbian

Matko is a small time hustler, living by the Danube with his 17-year-old son Zare. After a failed business deal he owes money to the much more successful gangster Dadan. Dadan has a sister, Afrodita, that he desperately wants to see get married so they strike a deal: Zare is to marry her.