Just in time for Halloween, the Chlotrudis Society for Independent Film is adding a new twist to its annual tradition of year-end top film lists. For 2021, the society has updated its list of FAVORITE SCARY MOVIES (originally created in 2003), to include the cream of the crop since then. As usual, members were given a general definition to frame the parameters of their list, resulting in a list intended more to spark conversation than to declare definitive winners.
Horror has traditionally found its roots in the world of independent film. These films are often easier to make on smaller budgets, and are more able to critique current societal issues because of the ‘otherworldly’ nature of the genre. And since independent filmmakers have tended towards such commentary, it’s not surprising to find some of the best examples from independent cinema within the realm of horror.
The films on the list includes over 20 countries. Only 2 filmmakers were featured twice, Ari Aster and Jordan Peele, with 4 female filmmakers earning spots. The top 10 films alone comprised 7 different countries and 5 different languages. However, there was some recency bias with about 42% of the films being released in the last 5 years.
After checking out the Society’s OG 50 scariest films were – take a look at our updated list!