The VVitch at the Rio Theatre
Wednesday, October 27, 2021 - 8:15pm
Forum:
"Wouldst thou like to live deliciously?"
There's evil in the wood.... In the exquisitely made and terrifying debut film from writer-director Robert Eggers (THE LIGHTHOUSE), the age-old concepts of witchcraft, black magic and possession are innovatively brought together to tell the intimate and riveting story of one family's frightful unraveling in the New England wilderness circa 1630. Upon threat of banishment by the church, an English farmer leaves his colonial plantation, relocating his wife and five children to a remote plot of land on the edge of an ominous forest - within which lurks an unknown evil. Strange and unsettling things begin to happen almost immediately - animals turn malevolent, crops fail, and one child disappears as another becomes seemingly possessed by an evil spirit. With suspicion and paranoia mounting, family members accuse teenage daughter Thomasin of witchcraft, charges she adamantly denies. As circumstances grow more treacherous, each family member's faith, loyalty and love become tested in shocking and unforgettable way.
THE WITCH premiered to great acclaim at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival - winning the Best Director Prize in the U.S. Narrative Competition - and painstakingly recreates a God-fearing New England decades before the 1692 Salem witch trials, in which religious convictions tragically turned to mass hysteria. Told through the eyes of the adolescent Thomasin (a star-making turn from Anya Taylor-Joy) and supported by mesmerizing camera work and a powerful musical score, THE WITCH is a chilling and groundbreaking new take on the horror genre.
"A horror flick with Puritans, possessed kids, naked forest women and a haunting goat named Black Phillip." (USA Today)
"With a gentle rap-rapping, Mr. Eggers intensifies the shivers with art-film moves, genre shocks and an excellent cast that includes a progressively rowdy menagerie. (The New York Times)
Wednesday, October 27
Doors 7:45 pm | Movie 8:15 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.
Advance tickets $15 | $15 at the door
www.riotheatretickets.ca
Due to reduced capacity, advance tickets are recommended for all shows to ensure seating. Online sales for every screening automatically end 1 hour before any given showtime.
*Minors permitted in the balcony. Must be 19+ w/ID for bar service and main floor seating.
*In accordance with the Province of British Columbia’s current PHO from the Ministry of Health, all eligible patrons must present their proof of vaccine status for entry. No exceptions
*Rio Theatre Groupons and passes OK for any single film screening only. Please redeem at the box office.
*If you are looking to redeem your tickets to either a canceled Rio Theatre screening or a Rio Theatre gift certificate, please email with info including your name, canceled receipt number, gift certificate info, what you are wanting to see and when, and we can make the switch for you in advance. Alternately, you can bring this information with you to the venue, and we will do our best to help you at the box office.
THE WITCH (Robert Eggers, 2016 / 93 mins / 14A) | In 1630 New England, panic and despair envelops a farmer (Ralph Ineson), his wife (Kate Dickie) and four of their children when youngest son Samuel suddenly vanishes. The family blames Thomasin (Anya Taylor-Joy), the oldest daughter who was watching the boy at the time of his disappearance. With suspicion and paranoia mounting, twin siblings Mercy (Ellie Grainger) and Jonas (Lucas Dawson) suspect Thomasin of witchcraft, testing the clan's faith, loyalty and love to one another.