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IFFR 2025: Bokshi Gets Epically Witchy

Image Courtesy of Lorien Motion Pictures | ChicArt PR

It’s always funny to me when people talk about space exploration. Just follow me for a second. While I’m an ardent sci-fi fan, the final frontier still seems a long way off, especially when you consider the natural mysteries of Earth that have yet to be explored or explained. Consider the unknown depths of the Mariana Trench. The emergence of a new species of crab last year in Okinawa, or the recent reemergence of multiple species thought extinct for a century (Gray Wolves, Pine Martens, Fernandina Giant Tortoise, etc.). Parts of the Amazon remain unexplored. There’s no clear answer for the disappearance of the Roanoke colony in 1587. Inferences exist, but nothing definitive. Mysteries like these evoke imaginative thinking, stoking supernatural stories. Just how well might we fare in space if we don’t take the time to fully explore and understand the planet we live on?

The poster for Bokshi shouws a two female faces in the sky where a blood red moon appears, with an opaque spiral leading toward it. beneath the faces hooded figures are seen surrounding a campfire.
Image Courtesy of Lorien Motion Pictures | ChicArt PR

Bhargav Saikia’s debut feature Bokshi is an ecological, anthropological, and personal journey of discovery, connecting Prasanna Bisht’s Anahita to a sacred prehistoric landmark deep within India’s North Sikkim forest. Anahita is a precocious teenager whose troubles go further than trying to remember the traumatic details of the night her mother died. Attempting to honor her mother, Anahita secretly gets a tattoo belonging to her mother’s religion but begins experiencing profoundly odd dreams and urinary incontinence soon after. When she violently retaliates against a bully who threatens her, Anahita is subsequently sent away to boarding school. There, she finds community (or, dare I say, a coven) with the girls in her class, where her teacher Shalini (Mansi Multani) also takes a shine to her. When Anahita finds that her classroom is scheduled for a field trip to the ancient forest destination, she appeals to her teacher to allow her to join, saying she’s felt strangely pulled to the place.

A Shaman (Bhasker Pradhan), his men, a few male students, and their teacher from that side of the boarding school accompany the group. The deeper the group ventures into the woods, the stranger things become. Soon, all of the teenagers are having nightmares, with the Shaman warning of unspeakable evil if they continue having seen the “shadow of a Bokshi.” Bokshi, which translates to “witch” or “enchantress” in English, generally appeals to the perspective you take. One definition describes something horrific, the other more of an elemental god worthy of reverence. Those definitions seemingly combine as the students become increasingly cruel as the journey to the site continues.

A woman presses her forehead against a younger woman's forehead.
Image Courtesy of Lorien Motion Pictures | ChicArt PR

There are many folk horror tropes utilized throughout Bokshi, but the one I think Saikia nails is fate vs. free will. Like The Wicker Man, Bokshi adjoins the concepts with multiple chances for Anahita and her friends to say, “This shit is bananas,” and head on home. But together, the girls balk at the concept of quitting, and in Anahita’s case, just like Sgt. Howie in The Wicker Man, she is propelled by her curiosity to uncover the mystery. It’s especially devious how Saikia sets this in motion, requiring the juxtaposition of the bullied Anahita to find the connection she’s been seeking and wants to remain connected to her newfound friends, creating a psychological blind spot for exploitation.

I commend writer Harsh Vaibhav for taking a bold step with his male characters in Bokshi, as well. The few men who do appear in the film all find their egos hurt or threatened in some way or another, causing them to lash out in destructive ways. When asked if they’re scared, they’re laughed at and never admit it. While some might say that’s a contentious view, I believe it’s the way Hollywood has written female characters for decades. Bokshi puts the feminine perspective first, creating well-rounded, passionate characters subjugated by male dominance. The female characters of Bokshi subvert cultural molds, which can be seen in the early portions of the film through Anahita’s religious-looking school and her experiences there. Symbolism later in the film suggests the maternal aspects of nature become a primary focus as well.

A woman assess the red yarn tied like a spider web between the trees in BOKSHI
Image Courtesy of Lorien Motion Pictures | ChicArt PR

Though its two-hour-and-forty-five-minute runtime remains slightly excessive, Saikia makes good use of the time. He’s patient behind the camera, which allows this fervently rich, complex story to rise to the folk horror epic status its runtime suggests. Saikia cultivates atmosphere easily by making it a point for the audience to invest in Anahita and supplies ample drama and horror. Hence, the viewer never feels rigor during the extended film. The more ancillary characters aren’t as focused on but remain well-rounded through group settings, such as the classroom and the forest, allowing character distinction so it becomes easier to understand certain behaviors. There’s also a lot of beauty in the captured landscapes, similar in style to Terrance Malick, whose shots occasionally linger too long. Still, the captivatingly beautiful cinematography makes Bokshi profoundly alluring.

I also thought much of the film drew inspiration from Ben Wheatley’s filmography—perhaps not The Meg 2 so much, but A Field in England, Kill List, and In the Earth. These films all concern religious ideologies and superstition and capture states of hallucinatory or hypnogogic surrealness. Saikia may have also seen Jaco Bouwer’s film Gaia, which shares similar themes and motivations. If you like what Bokshi offers, consider adding these to your watchlist.

Many will likely approach Bokshi and be scared off by the film’s runtime, which is ridiculous considering the internet defenses we heard for 2023’s Killers of the Flower Moon. Scorcese’s film never felt complete to me at nearly three and a half hours, with scenes appearing rushed and, arguably, could have been better told as a mini-series with additional episodes. Bokshi, on the other hand, feels complete. I won’t argue that it could stand to pick up the pace a little, but even if a distribution edit comes along, this cut of the film was a wonderfully robust and moody experience.

a group of people gathered around a campfire with large stones surrounding them
Image Courtesy of Lorien Motion Pictures | ChicArt PR

I began this article by reminding you of the mysteries that still exist on Earth. Bokshi illuminates a similar path for the unseen and elemental. A walk in the woods that’s somehow both serene and unsettling, Bokshi is a gripping eco-fable and head-trip from a director worth keeping your eye on.

Bokshi premiered as part of the International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) at 8:30 PM on January 31. You can catch additional screenings at IFFR on February 2 at 2:15 PM and February 8 at 1 PM. French-U.K. outfit Alief has acquired international sales rights to the film and will present it to buyers at the upcoming European Film Market in Berlin.

Bokshi – Official Teaser

Anahita, traumatised by the brutal disappearance of her mother, finds comfort in Shalini, her history teacher. On an unconventional school excursion to a mysterious prehistoric site, she confronts her terrifying destiny.

Written by Sean Parker

Living just outside of Boston, Sean has always been facinated by what horror can tell us about contemporary society. He started writing music reviews for a local newspaper in his twenties and found a love for the art of thematic and symbolic analysis. Sean joined 25YL in 2020, and is currently the site's Creative Director. He produced and edited his former site's weekly podcast and has interviewed many guests. He has recently started his foray into feature film production as well, his credits include Alice Maio Mackay's Bad Girl Boogey, Michelle Iannantuono's Livescreamers, and Ricky Glore's upcoming Troma picture, Sweet Meats.

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