10 Best Recent Folk Horror Movies You Probably Missed
1. Enys Men
Anybody who has been there on a holiday without Wi-Fi will know that there is nothing scarier than Cornwall, which might be why director Mark Jenkin chose it as the setting for his 2023 film, Enys Men.
Pronounced like it rhymes with “Tennis Rain”, this is the story of an unnamed volunteer (Mary Woodvine) who is observing a rare breed of flower on an otherwise deserted Cornish island. What seems like a simple task quickly becomes a dark exploration of the human mind, as a series of strange events take place that sit somewhere in between reality and hallucination.
All the while, a mysterious moss starts growing on the woman’s body. What does this mean? Is it time? Is it guilt? Is it just moss? The point is, you will never know.
The beauty of Enys Men lies in how little it gives away. The viewer is invited to apply their own meaning to the happenings on the island, which ends up being much scarier than your standard creature-based romp.
It’s not for everyone, but if you fancy a folk horror that will challenge you, this is the way to go.