| Fréwaka | |
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 Film poster | |
| Directed by | Aislinn Clarke |
| Written by | Aislinn Clarke |
| Starring |
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Release date |
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Running time | 103 minutes |
| Country | Ireland |
| Languages | Irish Gaelic English |
| Box office | $21,893[1] |
Fréwaka[a] is a 2024 Irish folk horror film written and directed by Aislinn Clarke, starring Bríd Ní Neachtain, Clare Monnelly, and Aleksandra Bystrzhitskaya.
Premise
A young woman named Siubhán ("Shoo") is a home care worker assigned to look after an elderly woman named Peig. Reluctant to be cared for, Peig shows signs of superstitious behavior as well as a belief that preternatural entities have abducted her in the past.[4][3][5]
Cast
- Bríd Ní Neachtain as Peig
- Clare Monnelly as Shoo
- Aleksandra Bystrzhitskaya as Mila
Release
Fréwaka premiered in Switzerland in 2024 at the 77th Locarno Film Festival[6], and it premiered in the United States at the 60th Chicago International Film Festival.[5]
Reception
The film received generally positive reviews. On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 96% of 26 critics' reviews are positive.[7] Tara Brady of The Irish Times rated the film 4 stars out of 5, commenting that it "ambitiously mines Irish mythology and history for socially conscious spookery."[4] Guy Lodge of Variety called the film "an expertly conducted atmospheric exercise, with a sharp, harsh understanding of closed rural communities."[3] Zachary Lee of the Chicago Reader praised the film's "disquieting mood" and how it "keeps the audience on edge."[5]
Notes
- ^ The title Fréwaka comes from a word in the Irish language meaning "roots".[2][3]
References
- ^ "Frewaka (2024)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved September 14, 2025.
- ^ "Aislinn Clarke on Irish Folk Horror 'Fréwaka': "There's A Lot of Trauma in Ireland"". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved September 14, 2025.
- ^ a b c "'Fréwaka' Review: A Rattling Irish Horror Film Satisfyingly Blends Folk Traditions With Genre Tropes". Variety. Retrieved January 15, 2026.
- ^ a b "Fréwaka review". The Irish Times. Retrieved September 14, 2025.
- ^ a b c "Review: Fréwaka". Chicago Reader. Retrieved January 15, 2026.
- ^ "Fréwaka". Locarno Film Festival. Retrieved January 16, 2026.
- ^ "Fréwaka". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved September 14, 2025.
External links
- Frewaka at IMDb
