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In their secluded farmhouse, a mother, formerly a surgeon in Portugal, teaches her daughter, Francisca, to understand anatomy and be unfazed by death. One afternoon, a mysterious visitor horrifyingly shatters the idyll of Francisca’s family life, deeply traumatizing the young girl, but also awakening some unique curiosities. Though she clings to her increasingly reticent father, Francisca’s loneliness and scarred nature converge years later when her longing to connect with the world around her takes on a distinctly dark form.
directed by:
Nicolas Pesce
written by:
Nicolas Pesce
produced by:
Max Born
Jacob Wasserman
Schuyler Weiss
 
Kika Magalhães
Will Brill
Paul Nazak
Flora Diaz
Clara Wong
Diana Agostini |
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“This is a film that doesn’t shock you with cheap scares; rather, it claws into your subconscious and lingers there. A simmering nightmare of a movie.” – Bilge Ebiri, New York Magazine
“One of the best movies we saw at Sundance. Picture the famous painting American Gothic. Now imagine that, just below the frame, a young woman is sawing the elderly couple's legs off, so that they'll never, ever leave her.” – David Fear, Rolling Stone
“A defiant announcement of a new talent. It contains some of the most memorable visual compositions in a very long time.” – Brian Tallerico, RogerEbert.com
“SHOCKINGLY ORIGINAL. Francisca is a movie monster for the ages. Equal parts Ingmar Bergman, Tim Burton and Tobe Hooper. The discovery of this year’s Sundance Film Festival.” – Eric Kohn, Indiewire
“AN EXQUISITE WAKING NIGHTMARE. An impressive, highly original horror fable.” – Guy Lodge, Variety
“MASTERWORK. A stark, masterfully crafted horror movie. Truly jarring and intimate.” – Chris Alexander, Shock Till You Drop
“Artfully textured, visually gorgeous and thoroughly gripping. Intense as hell. For fans of the “extreme cinema” of filmmakers like Kim Ki-Duk and Takashi Miike, it’s a must-see.” – Noel Murray, The Playlist
“A SUPERBLY STYLIZED NIGHTMARE.” – Nicholas Bell, Ion Cinema
“A beautiful nightmare from start to finish.” – Justin Gerber, Consequence of Sound
“Enough material for months of nightmares. One hell of a debut film.” - Fred Topel, Bloody Disgusting
“Unforgettable.” – Jason Bailey, Flavorwire
“I spent the runtime in a state of near-constant anxiety, waiting on bated breath for the next nightmarish jolt.” – A.A. Dowd. AV Squad
“An extraordinarily assured debut. This chilling film may just occupy your nightmares.” – Ed Frankl, Little White Lies
“Strange and strangely enthralling. A grizzly tale of American Gothic served up with an unexpected dash of moodily melodic Portuguese fado.” – Boyd van Hoeiji, The Hollywood Reporter
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