Last night at SIFF Cinema Uptown I watched Leviticus, and it’s one of the most emotionally affecting horror films I’ve seen in quite a while. On the surface, it’s a supernatural thriller. Two teenage boys fall in love in a conservative Australian town, only to find themselves hunted by an entity born from a brutal conversion ritual. But underneath the scares is something much more heartbreaking. The film isn’t really about monsters. It’s about what happens when people are taught to fear who they are.
What makes Leviticus so powerful is the tenderness at its center. Naim and Ryan’s relationship feels genuine, awkward, hopeful, and beautifully human. That emotional honesty makes every terrifying moment land even harder because you genuinely care about them. The horror works because it’s never separated from the story’s emotional core. The creature becomes a chilling metaphor for shame, repression, and the impossible burden placed on young people who are told their love is something to fear.
Watching it with a SIFF audience made the experience even more memorable. You could feel the tension during the horror sequences, but it was the quieter moments between the characters that seemed to hold the room completely still. Beautifully acted, genuinely unsettling, and filled with heart.
#FilmFriday #Leviticus #QueerHorror #LGBTQStories #PsychologicalHorror