“Joan of Arc versus Jesus.”
That is how Anna Biller, the auteur behind “The Love Witch,” describes the climax of her arresting new film “The Face of Horror” — a Medieval tale of a chauvinist knight, Edward (Jonah Hauer-King), desiring to leave his hopelessly devoted wife, Eleanor (Kristine Froseth), for Isabel (Bella Heathcote), a glamorous queen who can give him the life he thinks he deserves. The only things standing in his way are Eleanor’s self-possessed sister, Beatrice (Ellie Bamber), and… Eleanor’s ghost. Written and directed by Biller, and adapted from the Japanese ghost story “Yotsuya Kaidan,” the uproariously entertaining film will make its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, where it’s hoping to attract a distributor.
“The Face of Horror” comes a decade after Biller’s previous film, cult favorite “The Love Witch,” and like its predecessor tackles themes of courtship, power and traditional gender roles through a female lens. It’s also bursting with color and gleefully fun performances, whilst showcasing Biller’s unique command of mise-en-scène, from its sumptuous sets and dazzling costumes to the jewelry she says she spent two years sourcing.
“I’m so fascistic about my sets and location,” she tells Variety. To capture the vintage look she wanted, Biller opted for sets with high ceilings in order to bathe her troupe in soft overhead lighting, and no wide-angle shots. The result is an old-school epic that still feels refreshingly modern.
