A new genre has graced the literary scene, and now it looks to answer the misogyny so prolifically seen in horror films. Femgore is the latest response to ‘the final girl solution’ which seeks to keep breaking down the stereotypes of traditional horror through an aesthetic of feminine beauty paired with brutality. As the literary genre of femgore has grown in recent years, it’s intriguing that film has already explored these themes several decades ago through the films in our selected programme. It is however understandable, that considering the current threat to women’s bodies being seen as a violence epidemic, that this is the time female readers would connect with the brutality depicted, providing an outlet to explore femininity in an alternative way to the mainstream, which often belittles the female experience. As Lydia Venn discusses in her article, the savagery depicted in these books allows for women to explore a repression of rage and sexuality without judgement.

It could be argued however, that perhaps screen representation takes this one step further by visually engaging with these themes and in some form, making real what can only be imagined when reading a book. Femgore reveals itself in the film event we have curated, but mostly prominently in Cecelia Condit’s Possibly In Michigan which sees two women engage with their femininity by wandering around a shopping mall trying perfume, before being targeted by a man who they enact revenge on by savagely murdering. This embodies the femgore aesthetic by the catharsis felt in the act of revenge and how the two women never falter from their traditionally feminine beauty habits. This representation on screen is seen by the close ups of the women’s made-up faces with flowers strewn around them and the vivid colour palette selected for the film, paired with the melodic way in which they speak. Femgore’s appearance in mainstream film can be seen in Emerald Fennell’s Promising Young Woman, a thriller which indulges in the act of seeking revenge against men who have exploited women. Through protagonist Cassie, femininity is evident in the use of make-up and wardrobe, with hot pink being frequently utilised.

The final scene sees Cassie dressed seductively as a stripper, and this is where her most violent act is due to take place. This film differs from other explorations of female revenge as it reflects the negative actions it has on Cassie, and ultimately her death, revealing more attention to psychological damage than catharsis and thereby offering a more nuanced take on femgore. Alternatively, this could be an example of appeasement to mainstream audience expectations by not allowing the emotional release of seeing femininity with the act of brutality celebrated, ultimately negating the point and punishing Cassie by her demise. Encapsulating the mood of female rage through visceral and violent horror presents femininity in an aesthetic rarely seen before in media. The contrast between beauty and brutality presents an image traditional society has shied away from, and while it could be interesting to see other depictions of femininity in this way, it certainly provides a refreshing and cathartic outlet for the repression of female rage and identity.