The Book of the Witch
Joshua Sowden’s The Book of the Witch is a smouldering cauldron of dread, a slow-burn horror steeped in folklore, occult imagery, and an oppressive sense of creeping doom. It promises much with its gothic atmosphere and unsettling premise, there is much to admire here.
The story follows Sarah (Krishna Smitha), a reclusive historian sent to catalogue an ancient, handwritten tome in a remote village. The titular Book of the Witch is a menacing artefact tied to local legends of possession, curses, and a vengeful spirit who may—or may not—be watching Sarah’s every move. The deeper she delves into its pages, the more her grip on reality begins to fray, and the closer the film edges toward outright nightmare fuel.
From the opening shot of a mist-shrouded forest, Sowden’s direction is meticulous, almost oppressively so. Every frame feels designed to crawl under your skin: dim candlelight flickers ominously over faded ink, shadows stretch unnaturally across walls, and the constant sound of wind howling outside Sarah’s cabin keeps you on edge. It’s a masterclass in atmosphere, but one that teeters dangerously close to suffocating its own narrative momentum.
Henderson gives a raw, unnerving performance, embodying Sarah’s descent into paranoia with enough subtlety to keep the audience guessing whether the horrors are real or imagined.
The film features many wordless sequences that evoke a building dread but you need to pay attention to get maximum out of them.
The real standout here is the sound design. Low, guttural whispers seem to emanate directly from the Book of the Witch itself, and the score—composed of atonal strings and unsettling chants—feels like it’s slowly unspooling your sanity. At its best, it’s genuinely terrifying.
And then there’s the ending. Without giving too much away, the final act veers into abstract territory, abandoning much of the narrative groundwork and going full-on psych out!?
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(4 - A witchy horror that delivers!)
Read my day-to-day film-watching review over here: https://letterboxd.com/Cleric20/
Sowden is a filmmaker to watch for sure - and I had the joy of getting to ask him some questions... Read on for more:
Joshua Sowden - the filmmaker behind The Book of the Witch
Matt: What was your inspiration for The Book Of The Witch?
Joshua: The Witch’s book is actually in my first-ever horror feature film ‘Extramundane’. And after I shot that film, I knew I needed to learn more about that book. A very talented artist friend of mine, Daniel Paige, made the book for that film and once I saw it on screen, I needed to know more! That led me to always wanting to do a classic witch film which then tied into my own fear of death. Combine all of that and you get ‘The Book of the Witch’!
Matt: What is the most disturbing thing you’ve ever read or watched in a book/film of any genre?
Joshua: That is tough! For me, Exorcist. When her head spins around and vomits all over. That disturbed me at a young age and still!
Matt: Do you believe in witches and if so do you know any?
Joshua: Sure, I do! I have a few friends who are. They always surprise me with their abilities.
Matt: You’re in a strange city with unlimited credit that you have to spend as much as possible of in a single evening – talk me through what you get up to…
Joshua: I would probably take my wife to the nicest dinner, as many desert places that we could hit, and stay in the penthouse level of the tallest building! Pre-order breakfast room service, of course.
Matt: Who or what inspires you most (can be living or dead)?
Joshua: My fear of leaving nothing behind inspires me to push. That’s how/why I shoot most of my films solo. I don’t let anything stop me from making something that can live on forever.
Matt: There’s a masked assailant with a gun to your head , who is most likely to be under the mask?
Joshua: Someone who did not enjoy one of my films.
Matt: What is the meaning of life?
Joshua: To make an impact somehow on the world.
Matt: What was the best gift you’ve ever been given?
Joshua: I’m about to have my firstborn son.
Matt: What’s next for your cinematic creation journey?
Joshua: My next film that I am writing is about two brothers that investigate a haunted house! Think Paranormal Activity meets the tone of Haunting of Hill House.
Matt: What would you like written on your tombstone?
Joshua: He did alright.
Matt: Any final words you’d like to add...
Joshua: Thank you for having me on! If you’d like to follow us on social and YouTube- you can find all of that and the link the Book of the Witch here:
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