★★★★

No film looks quite as striking as Mārama, the powerful Gothic horror film that takes audiences far beyond any supernatural elements. Written and directed by Taratoa Stappard, Mārama is a film borne out of generational pain and colonial tragedy.

Far from a spectacle, Stappard has distinct vision for how the film looks and feels. There’s a haunting and unsettling feeling existing in nearly every frame as Mary (Ariāna Osborne) travels from New Zealand to England on the eve of the 20th century. She eventually goes to work for Nathanial Cole (Tony Stephens), working as a governess to the Cole family. As she becomes more immersed into her new life, she learns more and more about the Cole legacy, and sees a frightening connection she never anticipated.

Stappard replicates Mary’s journey by slowly immersing us into the story. There is difficult stuff here, generational grief and displacement is felt deeply and the tension only intensifies. Exceptional costume design, along with striking sound design and gorgeous cinematography instantly sets Mārama apart from films of a similar style. Osborne’s performance, multilayered and full of its own unique reveals, gives us an entry point into grim, but important discoveries that make the film far more intelligent and thoughtful than that of a run-of-the-mill horror film.

By the time a gripping third act hits, the film starts to lose some of the restraint it exhibits earlier and becomes slightly off-kilter in balancing its message with storytelling. This is not a horror film that simply moves from point-to-point. Stappard has an obvious trust that the audience will walk this path with him and Osborne keeps us compelled until the very last frame.

Based on Maori culture and folklore, Stappard has crafted a unique form of horror - a personal film that seeks to accomplish more than merely shocking its audience. Though it has stark imagery that is hard to forget, Mārama is an impressive reimagining of why horror films, when done with care and thoughtfulness, can strike such a nerve. When stories are personal, and a connection to an audience is made, people will follow. And I was on the edge of my seat for where Mārama was taking me moment to moment and scene to scene.

Mārama was screened as part of the 52nd Seattle International Film Festival.