The issue of pregnancies has a long history in horror, with classics such as Rosemary’s Baby and The Omen as two of the primary examples.
In Scott Naar’s short Willow & Lydia, we deal with a same-sex couple who are struggling to get pregnant through IVF and turn to darker means to make their dream come true.
It’s the age-old tale; taking the forbidden fruit, making a deal with the devil, whatever you want to call it.
There is a gut-wrenching quality as the couple cries on the bathroom floor at their latest miscarriage, a real raw human quality, which helps to side with them once they decide on alternative means to become parents.
Willow & Lydia starts as a drama and the horror slowly weaves its way into the plot, with Naar executing at least one chilling shot recalling Exorcist III. Using nightmare logic, the couple quickly becomes separated as a demon is unleashed to complete an ancient ritual.
Willow & Lydia is a compelling and haunting watch; definitely one to keep an eye out for on the festival circuit.
Bloody Flicks 