Les sorcières d'Akelarre

Coven Of Sisters: Set in the Basque country in 1609, very much in the mould of Witchfinder General but far darker. A Witchfinder along with his scribe, interrogator (torturer) and platoon of soldiers is progressing along the coast, seeking out Witches and Heretics. So far they have burned seventy seven women at the stake along with three Parish Priests who were found wanting. The Witchfinder Rostegul (Alex Brendermuhl) wants to observe an actual black Sabbath, in the next village six teenage girls are arrested, having been denounced as Witches, he wants to force them to reveal their Demonic secrets. but of course they have none. The brightest among them, Ana (Amala Aberasturi) tries to trick the Inquisitor, pretending to chant the Black Mass when is she in fact singing Basque folk songs, the other girls join in. Their intent is to delay their executions until the men of the village return from sea who will then fight off the Witchfinder's men. There are disturbing scenes of torture but more is implied than actually shown. The real horror is psychological as the girls as the girls are thrown into a dark cell, not knowing what they are accused of. Rostegul twists their words to imply guilt, even what they haven't said is used to incriminate them. But Anna along with some older women use the Inquisitor's fanaticism against him, keeping his interest and postponing her fate as Scheherazade did. A savage film which you'll remember and mull over longer after the end credits have rolled. Directed by Pablo Aguero, Screenplay by Pablo Aguero and Katell Guillou. On Netflix. 8/10.

You will be taken back to the 1600s in Spain. The acting is impecable, sublime and evoking. The photography is like that of an oil painting and the music is involving and delicious. This is a film that will make you think throughout the movie, it's not a comfortable movie to watch, however I feel it's a movie many people need to watch. Allow yourself to submerge in a journey to the Middle Ages where women where considered dangerous, mainly by religious leaders. It will remind you of many situations that we see still to this day in our societies. This film is a masterpiece, for what it says, for what it hides and for what entails.

Great and ambitious film describing a process against women led by the inquisition. I found it engaging and refreshing, great actors and excellent photography.

A new Spanish added to Netflix about the witch trials. A group of girls got accused of witchcraft. To delay the execution, they must lure the inquisitor into witnessing the Sabbath.

This movie is pretty much a satire about the ridiculousness of the hysteria in the past about witches. It demonstrated the saying-is-believing effect: the more you say or do what you think others want to see or hear, the more you believe in it.

As the plot progressed, I started to see how stupid and funny the old beliefs and signs that people used to identify witches. It's easy to trick and invoke curiosity from someone who blindly believe in something.

Overall, a ridiculous and crazy story that poked at the extreme and blind beliefs in witchcrafts. A good refresh from the popular movie genre. 8/10

We are taken to 17th (not 16th) century Spain, where the Inquisition is trying to find evidence of witchcraft among the peasantry. A group of young girl/women are found and accused. Imprisoned and tortured they concoct a bizarre mess of a story about what the witches sabbath is about.

It seems that by confusing the clergy and their soldiers by ridiculous rituals they try over-power them and escape.

Some have complained that "Why don't they try to argue their case?" Simply because it would be completely pointless - the whole inquisition wasn't about finding the truth, but to alleviate fears attributed to external forces (like witches). There was only one outcome of "trial" for those accused - death. Which is evident by one methods used - tow the accused to sea. If she floated she was a witch, guilty and should be killed, if she sank and drowned she was innocent.

The film depicts the atmosphere of these "trials" in a believable manner, and the misfortunes the unlucky women faced. Well worth a watch - don't expect anything in the way of horror movie, it is not.