GrimmFest 2026 : Disforia

Set in a society collapsing both economically and morally, director Christopher Cartagena’s Disforia is a home invasion horror, that meets the subgenre’s expectations of terrifying misanthropy and combines it with a cutting commentary on modern society’s obsession with social media and the abhorrent anonymity it affords monsters.

Couple Esther (Fariba Sheikhan) and Tomás (Eloy Azorín) take the opportunity to escape their city which is being ravaged by looting and the effects of economic downturn, as well as a spate of depression-triggered suicides. Along with their daughter, they make their way to their country house which they plan to eventually sell after a quick renovation. One morning after Esther awakes, she discovers her husband has disappeared, and soon her and her daughter are being terrorised by a young woman who has invaded their space, and seems to be hellbent on violence, egged on by social media users. 

Disforia expertly plays on the fears of a post-pandemic world, plagued by political and economical turmoil, all whilst inhabitants are bombarded with social media demands, often fueled by faceless accounts. Despite the film concentrating primarily on mother Esther, her daughter, and the female antagonist, it firmly places the blame for the events of the film on the shoulders of Tomás, thus reflecting societal problems caused by the patriarchy which directly and primarily affect women and children. Fariba Sheikhan plays Esther fiercely and has a perfect and equally strong opponent in Claudia Calvo Salas’ Vera. 

Disforia is vicious and grim, but not without reason. It is a stark portrayal of just how hopeless and soulless our society has the potential to be.

4 Screams out of 5