Family or famine.|Feb. 18, 2022|United Kingdom|97 Min.|n/A
Genre: Horror
Description: Holly, a widowed mother, faces a profound challenge when her teenage daughter Betsey undergoes a spiritual awakening, claiming her body no longer belongs to her but to a higher power. Fueled by her newfound faith, Betsey refuses to eat, yet her weight remains unchanged. Torn between love and fear, Holly struggles to reconcile her beliefs with her daughter’s extreme transformation.
Set against a backdrop of tragedy, “A Banquet” explores themes of anxiety, faith, motherhood, and the trauma passed down through generations of women. The story delves into the family’s attempt to heal from loss while grappling with overwhelming uncertainty. Holly, still grieving her husband’s suicide, tries to maintain a sense of normalcy amidst financial strain. Meanwhile, Betsey, traumatized by her father’s death, drifts aimlessly, her once-promising future overshadowed by existential questions.
As the family navigates their grief and Betsey’s spiritual crisis, tensions rise, forcing Holly to confront the limits of her own beliefs and the challenges of holding her family together. The film weaves a haunting narrative of psychological and emotional turmoil, leaving viewers to ponder the fragility of faith and the complexities of maternal devotion.
Cast director: Ruth Paxton
Cast actor: Sienna Guillory, Jessica Alexander, Ruby Stokes, Lindsay Duncan, Kaine Zajaz, Richard Keep, Rina Mahoney, Deka Walmsley, Walter van Dyk, Andrew Steele
Original name: A Banquet