Competition Narrative Feature
The Old Ways
Directed by: Christopher Alender
USA, 2021, 90m
In English and Spanish with English Subtitles
North American Premiere
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The only thing scarier than people believing you are possessed by demons is the uncertainty of whether or not they are right. Mexican-American journalist Cristina (Brigitte Kali Canales) returns to her ancestral hometown of Veracruz to chase a story on witchcraft and escape her own spiraling addiction. Cristina becomes the subject of her own story when she wakes up to find herself imprisoned by a local bruja, who believes she is possessed by an ancient demon. As the bruja and her son attempt to perform what they believe is a life-saving exorcism, Cristina questions whether the folklore of her heritage is as far-fetched as she once thought. FSU film school alumnus Christopher Alender directs this jumpy, creepy twist on the exorcism genre. The Old Ways is a horror film that packs in scares while also exploring the loss of cultural and spiritual identity in a modern world.