Frightfest Glasgow preview: Anguish

Compared to arguably the most impressive, effective and culturally intelligent American horror film of last year, It Follows, Anguish has been lauded as a truly compelling modern possession tour-de-force.

Inspired by a true tale, the film follows Tess, a troubled teenager whose life has been racked by anxiety since she was a child, and to which a diet of medication has ruled her days. However, events entwine the fate of Tess with that of Lucy, a girl killed in a tragic accident; Moving to Lucy’s hometown, Tess finds herself tormented by the spirit of the deceased girl, and quickly it becomes clear that maybe the traumas that have plagued Tess all her life…might suggest a connection to something far more supernatural and sinister altogether.

Defined by an eerie atmosphere of creeping dread that haunts the viewer as greatly as the suffering of Tess, Sonny Mallhi’s directorial debut promises the awakening of a new talent on the horror scene. Promising a thoughtful, tactile and tender experience, Anguish has the potential to be a chiller that resonates long after the credits roll.