[Editorial] Good For Her Shorts

“Good for her” horror is a term that’s sprung up in recent years to describe a certain type of revenge movie. A female protagonist, pushed to her limits, takes out her rage and frustrations on those who have caused her pain.

Most famously exemplified by Dani’s “put it in a bear and burn it” decision in Midsommar, an act of violent catharsis gives the protagonist a moment of righteous revenge. Often though, there is a darker layer to the initial triumph, and a sense that the aftermath will not be “good for her” in the long run. These short films are all tales of female revenge - some satisfying table-turns, others with a more ambiguous outcome. 

Rites Of Vengeance (2017)

This dialogue-free short shows an act of orchestrated vengeance by a group of nuns against a priest. The priest's transgressions are only subtly hinted at, but the film shows a collective act of defiance by a group of women striking a blow against an aggressively patriarchal system

Givertaker (2016)

Sarah is out for revenge against the girls she believes have spread rumours about her all over high school. And she has an ace up her sleeve - access to a supernatural wish-granting entity called the 'Givertaker'. While Sarah succeeds in uncovering the truth, she finds that knowledge can be a dangerous thing, and that the cost of vengeance can sometimes be higher than expected. 

Carnivore (2018)

Carnivore centres around one of the most dreaded of occasions: the corporate away weekend. Vegetarian Ahana feels alienated from the outset by the planned hunting activities, and the boys’ club atmosphere complete with racist and sexist microaggressions from her colleagues. Carnivore explores the tension between ambition and principles, and how we can be forced to change to achieve success in an unfair system.

Lili (2019)

In Lili, we see an actor auditioning, with an offscreen voice directing her.The single-shot framing and plain black background gives the film a claustrophobic feeling, and the viewer is put in the uncomfortable position of sharing the point-of-view of the casting director. The tension increases as the audition begins to veer into casting couch territory, and we become increasingly nervous for Lili as the process goes on - until a sudden and satisfying shift in the power dynamic. 

Requiem (2021)

Set in the times of witch trials, Requiem centres on Evelyn (The Last Of Us's Bella Ramsey), a clergyman’s daughter. She is set to be married off to a son from a prominent local family, but Evelyn is secretly in a relationship with local girl Mary, who tries to persuade Evelyn to run from their town so they can be together. After years of trying to reconcile her role within her family with who she truly is, events force Evelyn to make the choice between duty and family, or burning her bridges down.

Make Me A Sandwich (2019)

The phrase "make me a sandwich" has become a shorthand for misogynistic men insinuating that women should "get back in the kitchen" and acquiesce to men's needs. This film takes a darkly humorous look at a woman driven to the extremes by the demands of sandwich-making - and the unpleasant consequences for her husband. 

The Gaze (2017)

Mayra is a scientist working in a lab run by a man tipped as a future Nobel prize winner. Working late one night, she's invited into her boss's office for tea - an invitation she initially refuses until he insists she join him. She wakes up the next day sure that he'd been inappropriate but unsure what caused an explosive event that enabled her to escape. After another encounter at a party she realises that she might have a power that both challenges her beliefs and offers her a route to retribution. 

The Retreat (2020)

The Retreat poses the question - what if your most violent revenge fantasies could be fulfilled in the name of healing? The film follows a young woman who is grieving the loss of her child, but unsure if she can follow through with the particular kind of therapy this retreat advocates. The viewer's sympathies shift throughout, and we're left questioning what we would do in the protagonist's situation.

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