Horror Movie Nights for October

A brooding and moody atmosphere is creeping up at the Ottawa Public Library. For the month of October we'll be playing a variety of horror films at the Main branch. All films will be presented in our auditorium and are free to attend.

First up is Under the Shadow (2016). Directed by Babak Anvari, the film takes place in the midst of the Iran-Iraq war, more specifically during the War of the Cities. Shideh's hopes and dreams are torn apart once she gets refused the right to continue her studies. This is amplified by the fact that her husband is called upon to help in the war effort, leaving Shideh to take care of her daughter alone. A supernatural force starts growing in the building they live in and Shideh fears its effects on her daughter and herself. The backdrop of the war not only helps bolster the anxiesty of horrors abound but also highlight the inequalities Shideh faces.

The second film will be The Shining (1980), directed by Stanley Kubrick. This expertly crafted classic follows the Torrance family. Jack Torrance is having writer's block and decides to take up an offer as caretaker to the Overlook Hotel over the winter. He brings his wife Wendy and son Danny along with him for the season. Danny has some form of psychic power that only a select few share. Gradually, the isolation and a massive winter storm tear away at Jack's sanity, revealing the Overlook's haunted, supernatural forces. Wendy and Danny must shake free from the growing terror of Jack Torrance.

Our third film will be the 2016 film The Wailing by Na Hong-jin. A policeman, Jong-goo, investigates a number of strange murders in a small village, which is also seeing a recent surge of a mysterious illness. Suspicions mount and strongly point toward a recently arrived Japanese man.Things touch closer to home once Jong-goo's daughter Hyo-jin starts having violent outbursts and shows signs of illness as well. The film is wonderfully ambiguous and sets a menacing tone throughout.

The last film will be 2018's Hereditary by Ari Aster. Ellen, the matriarch of the Graham family, has recently passed away and the family starts to unfold some of the deeper mysteries of their heritage. More and more, members of the family try dealing with the grief and the increased haunting of their surroundings. The film is strongly anchored by Toni Colette's amazing performance and the unsettling mood Ari Aster creates.

The schedule is as follows:

All screenings will begin at 5:30PM

Note: The films are intended for a mature audience. The films contain violence, nudity, strong language and drug use. The films will be screened in their original language with English subtitles where applicable.