The eco-horror is a new sub-genre that has steadily been emerging over the last few years. Films such as Unearth, Gaia, and In the Earth, are three recent entries, with the Fantasia Festival selected film, The Feast (Gwledd), the newest addition to the ever-expanding list. Filmed in Snowdonia and told exclusively in Welsh, The Feast joins an affluent family as with the help of waitress Cadi (Annes Elwy) they prepare for an extravagant dinner party. Little do the guests realise that this will be their last supper.
The Feast may have a limited cast and may be set within the confines of a lonely house in the Welsh countryside, but the location never becomes tiresome. Director Lee Haven Jones uses the house to communicate much of his message about the war between man and nature. It is revealed during conversations that the house itself is relatively new, having been built upon precious farmland. Rather than building something that respects and reflects the nature that surrounds them, they have instead created a soulless fixture, one that screams that it does not belong. This sensation is deepened by the decor. The house is full of large windows that look out onto a scenery of vast rolling hills and yet the building does not reflect the beauty that is outside. With so many sources of light one would anticipate that the structure would be bright and airy, but it’s actually a dark labyrinthine construction, decorated in greys and blacks; it feels sterile and unkind. In stark contrast, Jones supercharges the exterior shots. The lushness of the grass and flowers appears to be more alive than the house and those that exist within it; the colours pop and burst onto the screen and leave the viewer craving more of these moments. Even the nighttime exterior shots have more vibrancy and vitality than those within four walls, and they all serve to place the viewer onto nature’s side.
A common trend to the style of most of these new-wave eco-horror stories is to keep the narrative stripped back and slowly let the story marinate in a collection of strange noises and sounds. Jones adheres to this convention, taking the full ninety-three minutes to explore the world whilst keeping much of the plot shrouded in secrecy. The movie is split into six bite-size sections, each headed by a quote that foreshadows what is about to unfold. Once the film reaches its final section, pieces of the puzzle that didn’t necessarily look like pieces earlier on suddenly fall into place. Here we arrive at the true horror of the story and Jones makes sure that early patience is rewarded by unveiling some truly ghastly imagery. The screen is filled with uncomfortable shots that linger on dead animal flesh, injury detail, and maggots, as well as some icky moments involving consuming hair. Despite its foodie name, The Feast is certainly not a film to accompany with a meal, unless you have an iron-clad stomach.
Whilst there is a great deal of atmosphere created within this time, there’s a lack of tension that softens the impact slightly. The lack of intensity can be attributed to the distance we are kept from all of our characters. The camerawork keeps itself back, placing the viewer as the proverbial fly on the wall. Being placed so far away allows us to view the characters in a more objective and clinical capacity, which further expands the gap as this family houses some truly despicable personalities. Even Cadi herself, who is arguably the lead, is held back from the audience. She’s an almost constant entity in every scene and yet it’s not until chapter two that we hear her voice. Even when she is capable of speech, she disappears into the background, Jones making a shrewd comment on how the rich can so easily disregard the help.
A challenging watch in terms of pacing and story progression, The Feast hones in on its messages about the ever-present war between man and nature. There’s commentary of meat consumption, hunting, farming, building, and fracking, highlighting many hot-button societal topics. It’s a lot of material to swallow in such a short window and those with a taste for their genre films less filled with symbolism may struggle to digest it all. However, viewers with the right kind of appetite will happily devour each morsel. A visually articulate film that keeps its characters and their inner workings in the background. The Feast moves slowly but steadily in its exploration of consumption versus growth, creating a chilling new chapter in the burgeoning new wave of eco-horror.
The Feast
Summary
Slow, weird, and somewhat unresolved, The Feast allows its messages to stand out loud and proud thanks to some very clever camerawork and production design.
The Feast was reviewed at Fantasia 2021. The Feast arrives in UK cinemas on 19th August 2022.
