Naturally, you may not think to head to the Middle East film scene for a scary movie, but the genre is slowly becoming more popular with Arab film makers.
Ahead of Halloween, we’ve curated a list of films you might want to hide behind a cushion and watch!
Fangs (Anyab)
- Dir. Mohammed Shebl. Egypt. PG-13
https://watch.eventive.org/arabfilmseries/play/633606d5046b54006128e5df
A girl and her fiancé are on their way to a party on New Year’s Eve when their car has an accident, and they find nowhere to go except a strange castle. They are met there by many vampires, led by count Dracula, who instantly falls in love with the girl and wants her for himself. The two lovers discover that Dracula is in Egypt in many forms (doctor, taxi driver, plumber, etc.) not to suck people’s blood but to suck their money, as a typical modern profiteer. Combining the genres of horror, fantasy and musical, this film will definitely leave a lasting impression!
Black Medusa (Ma tasmaa ken errih)
- Dir. Ismael, Youssef Chebbi. Tunisia.
https://mubi.com/films/black-medusa
Following one woman’s blood-sodden trail of revenge, Black Medusa is a stylishly monochromatic genre mashup in the vein of A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night. Oneiric, formally playful cinematography frames contemporary Tunis as the stark backdrop to a swinging pendulum of stasis and violence.
Madayen
- Dir. Ayman Taymano. Saudi Arabia.
Saudi doctor-turned-filmmaker Hakeem Jomah traveled to the supposedly haunted Madayen Saleh ruins in the north of the Kingdom to shoot his first film, Madayen. Known as Saudi Arabia’s first horror film, the story revolves around three young friends who visit the cursed location in search of the truth. The award-winning psychological thriller screened at the Hong Kong Independent Film Festival as well as the Arab Film Festival in Los Angeles.
Warda
- Dir. Hadi El Bagoury. Egypt.
Warda is an Egyptian found-footage horror movie about a video blogger who returns to his family home, where his family has been dealing with creepy and strange paranormal activity. Much like the Paranormal Activity franchise, Warda relies on slow, writhing vibes and jump scares to deliver its horrific message.
Djinn
- Dir. Tobe Hooper. UAE.
If you’re all about the supernatural, this one is for you. Directed by the late American filmmaker who gave us Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Tobe Hooper, the Emirati film trails the story of a couple as they move back to their homeland, only to discover that their new apartment was once home to a demon that’s now looking to reclaim his land.
The Humans & the jinn (Al ens wa al jinn)
- Dir. Mohamed Radi. Egypt.
https://mubi.com/films/mankind-and-the-jinn
The film sees Adel Imam play a shape-shifting demon trying to pass off as a travel agent. Named Galal, the character falls in love with a woman who just returned to Egypt from America and the film follows him as he tries to convince her not marry her fiancé.
Kandisha
- Dir. Jerome Cohen-Olivar. Morocco.
https://mubi.com/films/kandisha
Shattered by the loss of her child, Nyla Jayde, a brilliant criminal defense attorney, takes on a case involving a 14th century Moroccan legend, a vengeful spirit named “Kandisha”.