Wednesday, July 29, 2015

Watch Now on Netflix: The Sisterhood of Night


I usually recommend horror movies in my Watch Now on Netflix series, but I just saw a film so powerful that I wanted to share it with you. So, full disclosure, this is not horror, but I still think this is worth a viewing.

The Sisterhood of Night is about a group of high school girls in a small town that eschew all forms of social media, create their own secret clique, and hold mysterious meetings in the woods at night. They have taken a vow of silence and promised to never speak their secrets to those outside their circle. One girl who is denied entrance to the group takes revenge by spreading wild rumors via her blog about blood sacrifice, sex rituals, and Satanic worship. This fans the flames of suspicion and distrust throughout the town, and soon The Sisterhood is embroiled in a modern-day witch hunt.

Bravo to director Caryn Waechter on her stunning directorial debut, as well as the incredibly talented cast, including Georgie Henley who plays the leader of the Sisterhood, Willa Cuthrell and Olivia DeJonge who play the first two members of the Sisterhood, as well as Kara Hayward, who plays the instigator of the kind of Satanic Panic that grips the town.


The Sisterhood of Night really spoke to me and addressed all the BS women have to put up with growing up (and beyond). The girls just wanted to create a sacred space for themselves, a safe place where they could share their deepest, darkest fears and secrets with each other, but their peers and the town couldn't let them have that, poking and prodding the group until tragedy strikes. It spoke so much to me about how women in our society are often doubted, mistrusted, and anything done outside of the norm is looked upon as abnormal, as if all girls should be cookie-cutter versions that follow the rules and keep quiet. I deeply admire the characters in this film for rejecting the norm, and finding ways to address their complicated feelings and emotions during the tumultuous time of adolescence while also finding their own unique personalities.

The Sisterhood of Night reminded me of The Virgin Suicides, except instead of being set in summer it is set in autumn, with dreamy fall foliage and even some scenes that take place on Halloween. And whereas The Virgin Suicides is light and ethereal, The Sisterhood of Night's imagery is dark and mysterious. Both deal with adolescence, peer pressure, female friendships, and societal pressures faced by women. While The Virgin Suicides is told from an external male perspective, The Sisterhood of Night has an internal female perspective, at least until the end of the film. That female perspective is what made it all the more genuine for me, and made me experience all the feels!

The Sisterhood of Night emphasizes the strength of female bonds, the importance of a safe place where women can come together, feel connected and share their thoughts, emotions, and feelings, as well as taking a critical look at society's view of women, specifically teenagers, and just how scrutinized they are, not by just adults but also their peers. It is a beautiful film that leaves a lasting impression.

The Sisterhood of Night is streaming on Netflix now and I highly recommend you check it out. It is also available for purchase on Amazon.

2 comments:

  1. Definitely going to check this out! It sounds right up my alley!

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