If you polled film fans and asked what the best horror film of the last five years is, they’d likely say “Hereditary.” And though that film is incredibly creepy and unnerving, what elevates it above the rest is the human element at the core, with the true story revolving around a mother and her relationships with her family. That beautiful (though soul-crushing and terrifying) mixture of real-life drama and horror is also at the heart of Natalie Erika James’ new feature, “Relic.”
READ MORE: ‘Relic’ Is A Terrifying Look At Mental Decay & Intergenerational Trauma [Sundance Review]
And in honor of “Relic” arriving later this week, we’re thrilled to give our readers an exclusive look at a scene from the film, showcasing the more humanistic side to the thriller. Sure, there are plenty of scares to be had (this is a horror film, after all), but “Relic” transcends the genre tropes and explores the relationship between a woman and her aging mother. And in the exclusive clip, we see a conversation between the two, showcasing the heartache that comes along with watching your parents get older, and unfortunately, developing memory issues.
The film stars Emily Mortimer, Robyn Nevin, and Bella Heathcote. Natalie Erika James makes her directorial debut in “Relic.”
READ MORE: Emily Mortimer Gets Lost In The Horror Of ‘Relic’ [Interview]
In our review from this year’s Sundance Film Festival, we said, “An impressive first feature, humanist in its compassionate consideration of mental fragility and the melancholy inherent in spiritual degeneration, yet never forgetting to deliver spooky frights, ‘Relic’ could quickly go down as one of the best horror movies of the year when 2020 is over.”
“Relic” opens in select theaters and VOD on July 10. You can watch the exclusive clip below.
Here’s the synopsis:
RELIC tells the story of Edna (Robyn Nevin), an elderly and widowed matriarch who goes missing, and her daughter Kay (Emily Mortimer) and granddaughter Sam (Bella Heathcote) who must travel to their remote family home to find her. Soon after her return, they start to discover a sinister presence haunting the house and taking control of Edna.