This is the fifth in a series of articles where we’ll be covering the Top Folk Horror films. Folk Horror films typically feature folklore and cultural beliefs or religion within their narratives. Most films of this subgenre feature a rural setting and themes of isolation, religion, the occult and cults. Folk Horror primarily overlaps with the Films About Cults and Dark Fantasy Films subgenres but also heavily influences (or is influenced by) other horror subgenres including Films About the Devil, Demons & Hell, Gothic Horror Films, Films About the Occult & Witches, Films About Urban Legends, Films About Vampires and Films About Werewolves. Folk Horror also will feature Supernatural or Paranormal elements, but the focus of these films usually involves people’s beliefs in relation to any supernatural forces.
Folk Horror emerged as a horror subgenre in the late 1960’s and 1970’s and increased in popularity in the 2010’s. Popular Folk Horror films over the decades include The Wicker Man (1973), The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988), The Blair Witch Project (1999), The Witch (2015), Hereditary (2018) and Midsommar (2019).
This fifth article will cover the Top Folk Horror Films You Haven’t Seen from the 2010’s and you can check out additional articles by decade below. We are also going to include a Best Of subgenre article as a grand finale. There are so many great Folk Horror films over the last 60 years that we felt it best to break down some of the subgenre’s forgotten and lesser-known gems by decade before we give you the Best Of list which will likely feature many films you’ve already heard of or have seen.
- Top Folk Horror Films You Haven’t Seen – 1970’s
- Top Folk Horror Films You Haven’t Seen – 1980’s
- Top Folk Horror Films You Haven’t Seen – 1990’s
- Top Folk Horror Films You Haven’t Seen – 2000’s
- Top Folk Horror Films You Haven’t Seen – 2010’s
- Best Recent Folk Horror Films
- Best Films About Folk Horror
The 2010’s were the most exciting decade for Folk Horror since the 1970’s. This decade saw a resurgence in folk horror-themed films and produced quite a few classics of the subgenre. Other emerging themes during the decade included subgenre films centered around Christmas legends and folklore, a return to cult-focused Folk Horror and a growing number of films featuring folklore in rural, medieval eras of the past.
Though the 1970’s were instrumental in developing Folk Horror as a major horror genre, the 2010’s were just as important – if not more important – for the subgenre. This decade produced more classic subgenre films than the three previous decades combined. Classic Folk Horror from the 2010’s included Troll Hunter (2010), Rare Exports (2010), Kill List (2011), Dark Was the Night (2014), The Babadook (2014), The Witch (2015), Krampus (2015), The Wailing (2016), Under the Shadow (2016), The Ritual (2017), Hereditary (2018), Apostle (2018), Inhuman Kiss (2019) and Midsommar (2019). Even films falling just below the classic tier such as Black Death (2010), The Hallow (2015) and Pet Sematary (2019) helped propel Folk Horror to one of the most prominent horror subgenres of the decade.
Christmas-themed folklore has always been a popular horror subgenre and we have our own lists of the Best Recent Christmas Horror Films and The Ultimate List of Christmas Horror. The 2010’s were an important decade to bring more of these darker Christmas legends and folklore to the forefront. Saint (2010) was based on a very dark version of Sinterklaas. A dark interpretation of Finnish folklore and pagan tradition in the Joulupukki was the premise of Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale (2010). And Krampus (2015) would become both a subgenre and Christmas film classic with its horror comedy take on the legend of Krampus.
Folk Horror has always had strong ties and overlap with the Films About Cults subgenre and this decade saw a return to this symbiotic relationship between the horror subgenres. Some of the notable Folk Horror films featuring Cults during the 2010’s includes Wake Wood (2011), Kill List (2011), Hereditary (2018), Apostle (2018) and Midsommar (2019).
And finally, the decade saw a return to films set in rural areas in the pre-Industrial era where folklore was more prevalent in a person’s beliefs at the time. Films set during the Medieval Era (600 AD – 1500 AD) that feature prominent folk horror themes includes Black Death (2010), Red Riding Hood (2011), Hagazussa (2018) and Draug (2018). While other Folk Horror films such as A Field in England (2013), The Witch (2015) and The Golem (2018) were set during The Renaissance and Age of Discovery eras (1500 AD – 1700 AD).
Our complete list of Films About Folk Horror features over 178+ films from 1964 – 2024. This collection features almost every film featuring witchcraft, the occult, cults and folklore set in a rural environment. If you don’t see a film in our collection, it is likely in other collections such as Dark Fantasy Films, Films About Cults, Films About the Devil, Demons & Hell, Gothic Horror Films, Films About the Occult & Witches, Films About Urban Legends, Films About Vampires and Films About Werewolves. Also, as we’re always updating our collections and will be releasing additional articles of great Folk Horror Films, subscribe to our newsletter for our latest updates as we post them.
Classic Folk Horror Films from the 2010’s: Troll Hunter (2010), Rare Exports (2010), Kill List (2011), Dark Was the Night (2014), The Babadook (2014), The Witch (2015), Krampus (2015), The Wailing (2016), Under the Shadow (2016), The Ritual (2017), Hereditary (2018), Apostle (2018), Inhuman Kiss (2019) and Midsommar (2019).
Folk Horror Films from the 2010’s that didn’t make our list: Sennentuntschi (2010), Red Riding Hood (2011), Hollow (2011), A Field in England (2013), Jug Face (2013), The Borderlands (2013), Unforgotten Shadows (2013), Neverlake (2014), The Hallow (2015), Dorome: Girls’ Side (2016), Wekufe: The Origin of Evil (2016), November (2017), Pyewacket (2017), The Hollow Child (2018), The Golem (2018), Tumbbad (2018), Draug (2018), Leprechaun Returns (2018), The Curse of La Llorona (2019), Sator (2019), Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (2019), In the Tall Grass (2019), Antrum (2019) and 8: A South African Horror Story (2019).
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Here is our list of the Top Folk Horror Films You Haven’t Seen – 2010’s. Note: Due to the overwhelming number of Folk Horror Films this decade, we have included a Top 20 vs. our usual Top 10 list of films.
Rank #20 – 1:
#20 The Wind (2019) Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
#19 Sacrifice (2016) Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
#18 Thale (2012) Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
#17 Troll Hunter (2010) Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
#16 Wake Wood (2011) Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
#15 Satan’s Slaves (2017) Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
#14 A Dark Song (2016) Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
#13 Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale (2010) Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
#12 The Hole in the Ground (2019) Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
#11 Black Death (2010) Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
#10
Hagazussa
Plot: In the 15th century, a young goatherder living alone in a mountain hut feels a dark presence in the woods.
KBZ’s Take: This is one of those films that people either love or hate. Similar in vein to the slow burn buildup of The Witch (2015), Hagazussa takes the ‘slow’ in slow burn to an entirely new level which will test the patience of many viewers.
However, the payoff is worth the wait with one of the more shocking end segments of Folk Horror. Even if you’re tempted to turn the film off, try to make it to the final two chapters – Blood and Fire. You won’t be disappointed…
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
#9
Gwen
Plot: Desperately trying to hold everything together, young Gwen struggles with her mother’s mysterious illness, her father’s absence and a ruthless mining company that’s encroaching on their land. As a growing darkness begins to take grip, the local community grows suspicious and slowly turns on the beleaguered family.
KBZ’s Take: Another slow burn subgenre film on our list that primarily relies on atmosphere and dread. And like our previous film on our list, it focuses on pre-industrial times when folklore was more ingrained in community belief and how people could turn on each other due to the sense of the unknown.
It’s another film we recommend for fans of the subgenre with the expectation of patience while viewing.
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
#8
Saint
Plot: A horror film that depicts St. Nicholas as a murderous bishop who kidnaps and murders children when there is a full moon on December 5.
KBZ’s Take: This Dutch Comedy Horror film has one thing going for it – a cool holiday creature in Sinterklaas (Sint Nicklass). If you grew up celebrating St. Nicholas Day on December 5th (and received your holiday candy), you’ll likely be a bit familiar with the tale of Saint Nick.
However, this film takes a much different approach to Saint Nick’s origins as an evil tyrant and saint that returns every 32 years to slaughter. It’s a film that doesn’t take itself seriously and is an enjoyable Christmas Folk Horror offering.
Additional Lists: The Ultimate List of Christmas Horror Films #8
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
Plot: A blacksmith holds a demon in captivity, torturing it as revenge for his troubles. One day, an orphan girl stumbles upon the demon’s enclosure and unwittingly releases it.
KBZ’s Take: This is a film that falls more within the Dark Fantasy subgenre and the visuals are much better than the plot (which is based on The Smith and the Devil fairy tale). Though the film’s story is a bit difficult to follow, by the third act, the amazing visuals take over. The visuals of the devil and various demons shepherding lost souls to hell are worth seeing for alone.
Highly recommended for fans of the subgenre who are more interested in visual elements of folklore.
Additional Lists: Top Films About the Devil, Demons & Hell You Haven’t Seen 2010 – 2022 #4, Top Dark Fantasy Films You Haven’t Seen 2010 – 2022 #9
Where to Stream / Buy: Netflix
Plot: During the Iran-Iraq War, a mother becomes convinced a supernatural force is trying to possess her daughter.
KBZ’s Take: For our list of films, we’ve tried to include a variety of different subgenre films with unique cultural tales of ghosts and hauntings with folklore-based foundations. For Under the Shadow, it’s likely the one film on our list that provides an even more unique view on Middle Eastern horror that western audiences haven’t yet been exposed to.
This Persian-language film is part Supernatural Horror and part Psychological Horror. While those horror subgenres typically go hand in hand together, Under the Shadow brilliantly interweaves the psychological aspects of being in a war zone with the supernatural threat of a Djinn. It’s a horror film where the sense of dread is coming from both outside and inside Shideh’s (Narges Rashidi) home and is one of the most unnerving films of the entire subgenre. And the film has its share of ‘jump scares’ that are used to maximum effect to add shock to your uneasiness while watching.
Despite this film landing on quite a few Best of Horror lists for 2019, it’s criminally underseen. It’s truly a unique film and one of the scariest of the decade. It’s easily our best subgenre film of the decade and one every true horror fan shouldn’t miss.
Additional Lists: Top Films About Ghosts & Hauntings You Haven’t Seen 2015 – 2019 #1, Top World Cinema Horror Films You Haven’t Seen #7
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
Plot: An evil is unleashed in a small town when a logging company sets up shop in the neighboring woods. Isolated and threatened, a mysterious force hidden within the trees outside the small town of Maiden Woods, strikes fear in the townspeople as Sheriff Paul Shields attempts to overcome the demons of his past while protecting those that he loves.
KBZ’s Take: We were quite shocked when we saw this film had a middling average of around 5.6/10 on iMDB. It’s a much better film than its current rating with some of the best mystery and suspense elements of the subgenre.
While the creature is never entirely defined in the film, it seems to be based on Indian folklore and our guess is that it’s a Wendigo. And when the creature is revealed in the third act, it leads to one of the best final confrontations and endings in the subgenre.
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
#4
The Wailing
Plot: A stranger arrives in a little village and soon after a mysterious sickness starts spreading. A policeman is drawn into the incident and is forced to solve the mystery in order to save his daughter.
KBZ’s Take: This is one great film with a unique take on possession and demons based on folklore. While the film starts off more like a Detective & Whodunnit subgenre film, it quickly builds understated suspense and foreboding for what is happening in the village. It also has one of the best representations of a ‘demon’ in any subgenre film.
It’s one of the better K-Horror Films that came at the tail end of the Korean Horror craze (which started to heat up in 2005). It’s a film that you shouldn’t miss and is highly recommended for fans of the subgenre.
Additional Lists: Top Films About Exorcisms & Possessions You Haven’t Seen #2, Top Films About the Devil, Demons & Hell You Haven’t Seen 2010 – 2022 #5
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
#3
Kill List
Plot: Nearly a year after a botched job, a hitman takes a new assignment with the promise of a big payoff for three killings. What starts off as an easy task soon unravels, sending the killer into the heart of darkness.
KBZ’s Take: Kill List is an interesting film that starts off as a crime thriller involving hitmen but morphs into a psychological folk horror film about cults. It’s very reminiscent of The Wicker Man (1973) but with much more action, violence and gore.
Unlike other films on our list, this film is definitely not a slow burn and one where you will be engaged throughout the well-crafted story. It’s considered one of the best subgenre films of this decade and one no Folk Horror fan should miss.
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
Plot: A middle-class family travels into rural Indonesia to visit the terminally ill director of the orphanage where the father was raised as a child. Sinister and terrifying events soon befall them and the other visiting families.
KBZ’s Take: Indonesia has slowly been building up a reputation for gore-filled horror over the years. From Macabre (2009) which emulated much of the blood-soaked horror from Inside (2007) to May the Devil Take You (2018) acting as a spiritual successor to The Evil Dead (1981), The Queen of Black Magic is one of Indonesia’s latest horror films that further solidifies its horror and gore credentials.
While the film is a remake of the 1981 film, it’s much bloodier and grosser than its predecessor. And by grosser we are referring to the large number of bugs found in the film (and within the unsuspecting house guests) which make for some of the harder to watch Body Horror elements in the film.
However, despite the gore, blood, and grossout fest, it has one of the better stories about family and revenge of the subgenre with some genuinely scary scenes. Just make sure you don’t eat right before watching…
Additional Lists: Top Films About Ghosts & Hauntings You Haven’t Seen 2015 – 2019 #4
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
#1
Inhuman Kiss
Plot: An innocent young woman is the unwitting host to a Krasue, a demon who causes havoc in her village as it searches for vengeance at night.
KBZ’s Take: What is a Krasue might you ask? Well, it’s a spirt from Thai folklore that detaches itself from its human host at night with only the head and attached internal organs flying out and about in search of food. Needless to say, it isn’t your typical feel-good fairy tale.
Inhuman Kiss features an infamous Krasue which possesses the body of Sai (Phantira Pipityakorn) and soon mysterious deaths start occurring in Sai’s village. And despite the film having many bloody and horrific sequences, it’s also a Horror Romance between Sai and Noi (Oabnithi Wiwattanawarang). Their love shows that it’s still possible to care for another even when their head is detached from their body and hungry for flesh.
In all seriousness, this was a surprisingly good film with great special effects – especially for the Krasue. You have to see the fight between a female Krasue and the very different embodiment of a male Krasue to believe it. It’s a film we had no expectations for going in but after watching, felt it was not only one of the best subgenre films of the decade but one of the most unique films in the entire Horror genre.
Additional Lists: Top Films About Ghosts & Hauntings You Haven’t Seen 2015 – 2019 #3
Where to Stream / Buy: Netflix
