It isn’t hard to see why motherhood has been a favorite topic for 21st century horror filmmakers. As humans become more acutely aware of the involuntary forces and events that have shaped their own demons, filmmakers have gleefully embraced the challenge of showing us that our own damaged psyches are often scarier than anything the outside world can show us. Becoming a mother is a singular experience that can inflict trauma on both one’s self and the children for whom you’re responsible, making it fertile ground for directors looking to haunt our nightmares.
The latest entry in the subgenre is “The Beldham,” a new horror film that stars Patricia Heaton as an aging mother who takes her daughter and newborn granddaughter into her home. While the two women navigate uniquely vulnerable time periods in their lives, they find themselves haunted by an ominous presence that might predate both of them.
“The Beldham” marks the feature directorial debut of Dallas-based genre filmmaker Angela Gulner, who previously attracted attention on the festival circuit for her short film “Binge.” In addition to Heaton, the film stars Katie Parker, Emma Fitzpatrick, and Corbin Bernsen.
An official synopsis of “The Beldham” reads: Struggling new mom Harper moves in with her own mother to renovate a fading suburban farmhouse. The two are joined by her mother’s new boyfriend and a mysterious live-in home aide, both who claim to be dedicated to Harper’s postpartum care. But a sinister presence lurks within the house… one that has designs on Harper’s child. As Harper investigates, she uncovers dark truths about the nature of her reality, and questions the intentions of those entrusted with her care.
In a director’s statement shared with IndieWire, Gulner explained that the film was born out of watching her own mother care for her aging grandmother.
“Over the past three years, I watched my grandmother’s physical and mental health decline. I watched my own mother sacrifice her physical and mental health in caring for her. And I felt the echoes of this grief reverberate down to me,” Gulner said. “The role reversal between parent and child that comes with aging is terrifying, grief-filled, and often debilitating. This story was born from my processing of my grief. But more, from my processing of my love.”
“The Beldham” is set to screen at the Austin Film Festival on Friday, October 25 after premiering at the Sitges International Film Festival. Watch a clip from the film, an IndieWire exclusive, below.
