Genre: Period Horror, Folk Horror, Dark Fantasy 🎭🦇
Director/Writer: Beth Park (feature debut) 🎥✍️
Status: Festival favorite, online release via ALTER 🏆
Watch the Shorts:
🎭 Synopsis
Fishwife Short Film (2022); In wild 18th century Britain 🏴, a lonely woman living in an isolated house on the cusp of a lake opens her door to a stranger in need 🚪. 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 🩸, leading to a bizarre romance, supernatural elements, and a presumed revenge plot 🔪💔. Fishwife Short Film (2022); Shot during a biblical storm in Wales 🌧️, this is a brutal but beautiful period piece that treads the line between horror and fantasy ⚔️✨. Learn how to set up Xfinity WiFi internet box (2026) & get your home network running fast.
🌟 Cast & Creative Team
Scarlett Brookes as The Woman (lead) 👩
Charles Beaven as The Stranger / Fishman 🐟👨
Shango Baku as additional cast 🎭
Director/Writer/Producer: Beth Park (trained as actor, also directs video games including Baldur’s Gate III) 🎮🎬
Cinematography: James Oldham (gorgeous, dreary landscapes) 📷
Production Design/Costume: Pollyanna Elston 🎨
Editor: Michelle Tsen ✂️
Composer: Zac Mcfadzean 🎵
Sound Design: Seah Hotson 🔊
VFX/Animation: Penelope VFX 🖥️
🏆 Major Awards & Festival Run
Toronto International Women’s Film Festival 2022: Best Horror 🥇
HollyShorts Film Festival 2022: Official Selection (Oscar-qualifying) 🎬
Austin Film Festival 2022: Official Selection (Oscar-qualifying) 🌟
SITGES – International Fantastic Film Festival of Catalonia 2022: Official Selection 🎪
Celluloid Screams 2022: Official Selection 🎃
Aesthetica Film Festival 2022: Official Selection (BAFTA-qualifying) 🏆
FilmQuest 2022: Official Selection 🎥
Nightmares Film Festival 2022: Official Selection 😱
Defy Film Festival 2022: Official Selection ✊
Kerry International Film Festival 2022: Official Selection 🇮🇪
San Sebastián Horror and Fantasy Film Festival 2022: Official Selection 🧛
Flickers’ Vortex Sci-Fi Fantasy and Horror Film Festival 2022: Official Selection 🌀
Canberra Short Film Festival 2022: Official Selection 🇦🇺
Vancouver Horror Show Film Festival 2022: Official Selection 🍁
Dam Short Film Festival 2023: Official Selection 💧
Poppy Jasper International Film Festival 2023: Official Selection 🌸
💡 The Origin Story
Fishwife Short Film (2022); Director Beth Park was driving with her baby asleep when the idea popped into her head! 💭 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 🌪️. 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 👶💪
🎨 Visual Style
Robert Eggers vibes: Atmospheric, folk horror aesthetic 🎭
Cross-cutting editing: In the third act, gives chills and enhances impact ✂️❄️
Colour grade: On point for the period 🎨
Limited dialogue: Visual storytelling prioritizes mood and atmosphere 🤐🎬
💖 Key Themes
Female body autonomy 🩸✊
Menstruation as horror trope (subverted) 🩸😱
Isolation and loneliness 🏠😔
Supernatural romance / monsterfucking 🐟💋
Revenge and empowerment 🔪💪
Nature vs. civilization 🌿🏙️
🔥 Critical Reception
“My wife wanted me to make sure it was very atmospheric, and she is 100% right” — 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” — Renegade Film Fest attendee
“Saw this at Renegade Film Fest 2023. It blew me tf away!” 🤯
“A brutal but beautiful period film with a supernatural element” — 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) 😬
“Could have been improved by some actual monsterfucking” 🐟💦
“Abe Sapien would never treat me this way!!!” 🦐
📺 Where to Watch
ALTER: Official online release (YouTube channel) 📱
YouTube: Search “Fishwife short film” 🎥
Festival circuit: Completed extensive 2022-2023 run 🎪
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 Water—even if some viewers wanted more “monsterfucking”! 🐟🩸🌊