The Sin-Eater

A short gothic psychological supernatural horror film directed by Kelly Holmes, written by Matthew White and starring Carly-Sophia Davies, Jack Parry-Jones, Sharon Morgan, Gareth Jewell and Lewis Mackinnon.

The story takes place in Wales, during the mid-19th century. A male infant has just passed away due to an illness and it had not been baptised. His grieving young mother, Jemima (Davies) is desperate for her son's soul to be saved as he passed away without been baptised, so she secretly enlists tha aid of a young man named Thomas (Parry-Jones) to perform a forbidden ritual that will save the boy's soul.

A dark period horror film that focuses on the aftermath of the passing of a child. Although the plot is distressing, it certainly is intriguing. Initially, the atmosphere is melancholic and is supported by Alan C. McLaughlin's gloomy cinematography and Die Hexen's dramatic music that includes striking cords. As things move towards the sinister and supernatural, creative sound effects take place such as constant whispering and the appearance of a demonic entity that involves impressive special effects. Then, there is the mise-en-scene, which convincingly places the viewer in the 19th century thanks to the work by costume designer Anastasia Crossley. The dramatic screenplay includes regular use of the Welsh language, making the film's time setting more believable.

Taking under consideration that the story revolves around the death of an infant, it would be fair to consider that some viewers might find that upsetting, particularly when the baby's lifeless body is shown lying inside a small coffin.

All five protagonists deliver strong performances. Davies is outstanding and very dramatic as a grieving woman who wants her child's soul to be safe and is determined to go to great lengths in order to achieve that. Parry-Jones' character could be described as a sinister one. A person who performs forbidden religious rituals and whose behaviour makes it questionable whether he can be trusted. Morgan is the deceased child's grandmother and she (along with Jewell who plays Jemima's partner) are unwilling to brake any procedures involving the child's passing and neither is the priest who is portrayed by Mackinnon.

This film explores heavy themes. The main one is death, the death of a baby and the loss and grief that follow such a devastating event. Then, there is religion, deception and the search and hope for redemption. From a different perspective, subjects involving life in 19th century Wales are brought to light, including the religious procedures following a person's passing, the family values of those times and the Welsh language, a language that is acknowledged considerably in this short.

A dark gothic horror film with superb acting and a downbeat and sinister atmopshere. Although a horror story, the atmopshere feels primarily sad as the narrative is the aftermath of an infant's passing. The film is probably best categorised as a period supernatural horror film about a ritual and it is highly recommended for horror fans and those who appreciate a good story.