Watch the acclaimed Horror, Fishwife Short Film 2022 by Beth Park. A powerful story of love, labor, and resilience on the sea. Stream now.
๐๐ Fishwife Short Film (2022) by Beth Park ๐ฌ๐ง๐ค
Watch the award-winning Horror 2022, Fishwife Short Film by Beth Park. A powerful and critically acclaimed cinematic story. Stream now.
๐ย Quick Facts
- Year: 2022 (released online) / 2021 (production) ๐๏ธ
- Runtime: 16-17 minutes โฑ๏ธ
- Country: United Kingdom ๐ฌ๐ง
- Language: English (limited dialogue)
- Genre: Period Horror, Folk Horror, Dark Fantasy ๐ญ๐ฆ
- Director/Writer: Beth Park (feature debut) ๐ฅโ๏ธ
- Status: Festival favorite, online release via ALTER ๐
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๐ญ Synopsis
Fishwife Short Film (2022); In wild 18th century Britain ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ, a lonely woman living in an isolated house on the cusp of a lake opens her door to a stranger in need ๐ช. When his actions cause him to flee, she’s left to deal with the encounter and fend for herself.
But there’s something darker at play: she discovers her menstrual cycle is of interest to this stranger ๐ฉธ, leading to a bizarre romance, supernatural elements, and a presumed revenge plot ๐ช๐. Fishwife Short Film (2022); Shot during a biblical storm in Wales ๐ง๏ธ, this is a brutal but beautiful period piece that treads the line between horror and fantasy โ๏ธโจ. Learn how to set up Xfinity WiFi internet box (2026) & get your home network running fast.
๐ Cast & Creative Team
- Scarlett Brookes as The Woman (lead) ๐ฉ
- Charles Beaven as The Stranger / Fishman ๐๐จ
- Shango Baku as additional cast ๐ญ
- Director/Writer/Producer: Beth Park (trained as actor, also directs video games including Baldur’s Gate III) ๐ฎ๐ฌ
- Cinematography: James Oldham (gorgeous, dreary landscapes) ๐ท
- Production Design/Costume: Pollyanna Elston ๐จ
- Editor: Michelle Tsen โ๏ธ
- Composer: Zac Mcfadzean ๐ต
- Sound Design: Seah Hotson ๐
- VFX/Animation: Penelope VFX ๐ฅ๏ธ
๐ Major Awards & Festival Run
- Toronto International Women’s Film Festival 2022: Best Horror ๐ฅ
- HollyShorts Film Festival 2022: Official Selection (Oscar-qualifying) ๐ฌ
- Austin Film Festival 2022: Official Selection (Oscar-qualifying) ๐
- SITGES – International Fantastic Film Festival of Catalonia 2022: Official Selection ๐ช
- Celluloid Screams 2022: Official Selection ๐
- Aesthetica Film Festival 2022: Official Selection (BAFTA-qualifying) ๐
- FilmQuest 2022: Official Selection ๐ฅ
- Nightmares Film Festival 2022: Official Selection ๐ฑ
- Defy Film Festival 2022: Official Selection โ
- Kerry International Film Festival 2022: Official Selection ๐ฎ๐ช
- San Sebastiรกn Horror and Fantasy Film Festival 2022: Official Selection ๐ง
- Flickers’ Vortex Sci-Fi Fantasy and Horror Film Festival 2022: Official Selection ๐
- Canberra Short Film Festival 2022: Official Selection ๐ฆ๐บ
- Vancouver Horror Show Film Festival 2022: Official Selection ๐
- Dam Short Film Festival 2023: Official Selection ๐ง
- Poppy Jasper International Film Festival 2023: Official Selection ๐ธ
๐ก The Origin Story
Fishwife Short Film (2022); Director Beth Park was driving with her baby asleep when the idea popped into her head! ๐ญ Initially thinking of it as a short story or novel, she turned it into a script when furlough money came in during the pandemic.
With only a few thousand pounds, she shot the entire film in two days during a “biblical storm” in Wales with hurricane-level winds in Snowdonia ๐ช๏ธ. She did a 2.5-hour unit move between internal and external locations. Post-production was done basically as a team of 1 while juggling a job and small child ๐ถ๐ช
๐จ Visual Style
- Robert Eggers vibes: Atmospheric, folk horror aesthetic ๐ญ
- Gorgeous cinematography: Dreary landscapes, authentic 18th-century setting ๐ฒ
- Cross-cutting editing: In the third act, gives chills and enhances impact โ๏ธโ๏ธ
- Colour grade: On point for the period ๐จ
- Limited dialogue: Visual storytelling prioritizes mood and atmosphere ๐ค๐ฌ
๐ Key Themes
- Female body autonomy ๐ฉธโ
- Menstruation as horror trope (subverted) ๐ฉธ๐ฑ
- Isolation and loneliness ๐ ๐
- Supernatural romance / monsterfucking ๐๐
- Revenge and empowerment ๐ช๐ช
- Nature vs. civilization ๐ฟ๐๏ธ
๐ฅ Critical Reception
- “My wife wanted me to make sure it was very atmospheric, and she is 100% right” โ Letterboxd review
- “The director Beth Park and cinematographer James Oldham crafted such dreary and beautifully captured atmosphere and landscape that gave me serious Eggers vibes” โ Renegade Film Fest attendee
- “Saw this at Renegade Film Fest 2023. It blew me tf away!” ๐คฏ
- “A brutal but beautiful period film with a supernatural element” โ Michelle Tsen portfolio
- “Too bad it isn’t also good. Basically fishman shows up and stabs eggs into a lady and that’s it” (mixed review) ๐ฌ
- “Could have been improved by some actual monsterfucking” ๐๐ฆ
- “Abe Sapien would never treat me this way!!!” ๐ฆ
๐บ Where to Watch
- ALTER: Official online release (YouTube channel) ๐ฑ
- YouTube: Search “Fishwife short film” ๐ฅ
- Festival circuit: Completed extensive 2022-2023 run ๐ช
Bottom Line: Fishwife Short Film (2022); This 16-minute British folk horror gem is a stunningly atmospheric, divisive, and unforgettable debut from Beth Park. With its Eggers-esque vibes, menstrual horror themes, and gorgeous storm-soaked cinematography, it’s a must-see for fans of The Witch, The Lighthouse, and The Shape of Waterโeven if some viewers wanted more “monsterfucking”! ๐๐ฉธ๐