Fantasia International Film Festival (FIFF) – Writer/director Edoardo Vitaletti’s The Last Thing Mary Saw is a deeply unsettling occult film set in mid-19^th Century New York. While the story has a few supernatural elements, its real horror comes from the unspeakable punishment men unleash upon Mary and her female lover, all in the name of Christianity.

Stefanie Scott plays Mary, a young woman who can’t hide her love and affection for the family’s maid, Eleanor (Isabelle Fuhrman). Lanterns in hand, the women sneak out late at night, cutting a deal with a guard to stow away in a chicken coop, where they surrender to desire. Of course, they’re caught, and the punishments worsen as the film progresses. They’re made to kneel on rice through the night and recite prayers for hours upon hours. At times, only one receives a punishment while the other is forced to watch. The silver-haired matriarch (Judith Roberts) doles out most of the pain and takes sadistic glee in doing so. Roberts’ performance chills. She’s a ghastly and domineering presence, inflicting more violence than the men give.

Supernatural elements ramp up when Rory Culkin’s nameless character arrives. He has a grotesque red mark on his face, and it’s unclear why he shows up for the matriarch’s funeral after Eleanor and Mary poison her as revenge. Yet, it’s hinted that they have a connection to the occult. Culkin’s bizarre character is just as hair-raising as the matriarch, and he forces an abhorrent kind of cruelty upon the women to rival the matriarch’s cruelty.

While the film contains some weighty symbolism, the real terror lies in how the white men try to control women, especially when they refuse to submit to heteronormative power structures. What Mary and Eleanor suffer for their love is truly awful. They harm no one until it’s warranted, and their only crime is their love. The entire 90-minute runtime, meanwhile, is a moody affair. The home’s rooms are shadowy, with only a candle or two shedding light. The darkness becomes overpowering, especially as the descent into the occult grows. Even the few exterior shots show an inky sky and bare trees, typical of a northeastern winter.

Some aspects of the film, including a strange book Mary discovers, don’t fully make sense, even after a few rewatches, but overall, The Last Thing Mary Saw is a disquieting movie. It’s incredibly atmospheric and an impressive feature debut. While the film has more than a few references to the occult, specifically witchcraft, it shows restraint, sometimes a little too much. The real evil, though, lies in religious and patriarchal oppression. For genre fans who love slow-burn period pieces like The Witch, this film will appeal.

The film will screen as part of the Fantasia International Film Festival, happening August 5-25. It’s also been acquired by Shudder for broader release at a later date.

7.5 Out of 10