The Witch Hunt (The Persecution)

‘At the beginning of the 17th century, Eli, a peasant woman and weaver, returns to her home village. Free and independent, she makes a living from her own goat farm and makes no secret of her love for Aslak, a farmhand. Gradually, she begins to arouse the envy of the villagers. People begin to attribute supernatural powers and occult knowledge to her (…). A brilliantly staged witch hunt that won an award in Venice.” (Malavida Films)

“The Witch Hunt is Anja Breien’s adaptation of her own short film from the 1960s. The cinematography by her long-standing collaborator Erling Thurmann-Andersen, set against the magnificent landscapes of Norway’s west coast and modelled on the style of Ingmar Bergman, lays bare the psyche of Breien’s protagonist. With cold, oppressively long takes, the film explores how women are isolated within a patriarchal society (…). Today, the film is regarded as a cult classic amongst enthusiasts of folklore and witch figures – themes that are currently enjoying a resurgence in horror cinema and which Breien had already addressed from a feminist-deconstructivist perspective as early as 1981.» (Agenda Urbana Valencia, 11 April 2026)