Long, static takes; natural, dim lighting; sweeping drone shots of the Alps.
The etymology of Hagazussa is deeply tied to the landscape and the role of women in early Germanic society:
There are long stretches of the film where no words are spoken. The narrative relies entirely on visual storytelling, bodily movement, and facial expressions, forcing the audience to immerse themselves in Albrun's profound loneliness. Critical Reception and Legacy
Hagazussa: A Heathen’s Curse (2017), directed by Lukas Feigelfeld, is a slow-burning, sensory-rich folktale film that reimagines the witch-hunt archetype through a raw, immersive portrait of psychological and cultural decay. Set in the isolated Austrian Alps across the late 15th century and onward, the film follows Albrun (Aleksandra Cwen), the daughter of a woman widely suspected of witchcraft, as solitude, superstition, and trauma conspire to unmoor her sense of reality.
+---------------------------------------+ | THE CIVIC BOUNDARY | | Safety, Orthodoxy, Patriarchal Order | +---------------------------------------+ | | [The Hedge / Fence] v +---------------------------------------+ | THE HAGAZUSSA | | Albrun: Boundary-Dwelling Outcast | +---------------------------------------+ | | [The Wilderness] v +---------------------------------------+ | THE NATURAL WILDERNESS | | Paganism, Hallucinogens, Taboo | +---------------------------------------+ Hagazussa
Set in the remote Austrian Alps during the 15th century, the film follows Albrun, a young goatherd living in profound isolation. As a child, she witnesses her mother succumb to a horrific, plague-like illness while being terrorized by nearby villagers who label her a witch.
Feigelfeld's film is frequently compared to Robert Eggers’ 2015 historical horror film, The VVitch . While both explore the destructive intersection of isolation, religious paranoia, and feminine autonomy, they approach the supernatural from fundamentally different angles: Cinematic Element The VVitch (2015) Hagazussa (2017) 17th-century colonial New England 15th-century Austrian Alps The Nature of Evil External, literal devil covenant Internalized trauma and severe societal projection Pacing & Style Dialogue-driven, rigid puritanical prose Highly impressionistic, avant-garde, minimal dialogue Cinematography Cold, natural light; claustrophobic forest Sublime, vast, ominously vacant Alpine landscapes Soundtrack Design Discordant choral and classical strings Dark, brooding ambient drone by MMMD 4. The Aesthetics of Post-Horror and the Sublime
The film is divided into four distinct chapters, following the life of a young woman named Albrun in the 15th-century Austrian Alps.
The term was brought back into the spotlight by the 2017 horror film , directed by Lukas Feigelfeld. Long, static takes; natural, dim lighting; sweeping drone
To understand the film’s thematic weight, one must first understand its title. The word Hagazussa is an Old High German term that predates the modern German word for witch ( Hexe ). Linguistically, it translates roughly to "hedge-rider" or "fence-sitter."
If you are a fan of The Witch (2015) but wished it were slower, more atmospheric, and bleaker, Hagazussa is your next obsession.
: Unlike many horror films where nature is just a backdrop, in Hagazussa , the forest and mountains are active, oppressive characters. The cinematography uses a "lingering camera" to emphasize that while nature is beautiful, it is also indifferent and often repulsive, mirroring Albrun's internal state.
Swinda’s butter churn explodes overnight. Her milk turns to clotted black curds. Her husband walks into the forest and doesn’t come back. The village sends three men to Albrun’s hut. They find the goats standing on two legs, chewing something that looks like rope but smells like hair. Albrun is gone. But her footprints in the snow lead in a circle—and end. Brother Markus, writing in his final journal entry: “The hagazussa does not ride the hedge. She becomes the hedge. We have not burned a witch. We have fertilized one.” Critical Reception and Legacy Hagazussa: A Heathen’s Curse
The film serves as an audio-visual descent into madness. It deconstructs how a patriarchal, deeply religious society transforms marginalized women into the monsters they fear. Etymology: What Does "Hagazussa" Mean?
Hagazussa is an Old High German word for "witch" or "hedge-rider". Production & Style
Related to sitting, riding, or "hanging" on that boundary.
The film portrays the "witch hunt" not just as an act of violence, but as a systematic bullying of the marginalized. The villagers' fear of the unknown is projected onto Albrun.